The Girl
by LazyFirefly
Summary: On a beautiful day a little girl arrives at the Volturi castle. However, within the supernatural world nothing is as it seems, not even an innocent child...
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome

**Chapter 1 - Welcome**

It was a cloudy day in the beautiful city of Volterra, a soft breeze blowing across the busy plaza. An older couple was wandering through the cobble-stoned streets, taking pictures of the beautiful buildings before they arrived at an open plaza. Their gazes were quickly pulled to the impressive ancient city hall, standing prominently in the middle of the town. In front of its wooden doors a group of tourists was gathered, listening to the woman who stood on the steps. The crowd slowly grew as more and more people joined, excited murmuring rising up.

The old couple shot each other a curious look, but they too felt themselves being drawn towards the doors. The older woman adjusted her backpack and placed her sunglasses on top of her head before she and her husband made their way over to the group.

"Welcome to this exclusive tour of our city hall, please come and join us! My name is Heidi and I will be your tour guide for today," the woman said with a big smile on her face. "I will show you around this ancient building and tell you all about the history of this unique place. Now, I see everyone has arrived, so if you don't mind, follow me!"

Without hesitation Heidi led the big group of tourists into the castle, nodding politely to the guard members at the door. When the last people had filed into the hall, Heidi turned back around. "I will be taking you along all important art works and architecture. If at any time, you have a question, don't hesitate to ask me. I'll be glad to answer."

A door on the other side of the hall opened and Heidi walked over, motioning for the group to follow her. The walls in this new passageway were decorated with tons of paintings, all of which the tour guide seemed to know something about.

The humans were so engaged in her stories that they did not even notice the passageway getting narrower as they moved further along. While windows had let in some light at the beginning, now the only sources of light were the dim lamps on the ceiling.

"This is such a charming place," an American woman gushed excitedly, smiling as she snapped one picture after the other. "I always look forward to the tours, don't you, Frank?"

The grumpy man behind her grunted something inaudible; it seemed he was not as keen on excursions as his wife. However, as soon as Heidi spoke back up, his eyes glazed over and he was enraptured by her voice.

"Please make sure you keep up with me," Heidi told her group with a knowing smirk. "The hallways are a maze. Believe me when I say you wouldn't want to get lost in here."

The blonde loved the charade.

When they turned around another corner, the group came to a stop in front of a large painting. It hung on a wall next to two massive wooden doors, where two guards were on watch. Their eyes tracked the ignorant human's movements, their pupils dilating ever so slightly as they breathed in the fresh scents of blood.

"This painting is our most prized possession," Heidi explained with a smile. "It portrays the kings and the queens who built this city hall to use as a castle decades ago, when they ruled over the area. Of course, they all died long ago. Though some say that even now their ghosts wander through the hallways…"

Some chuckled uncomfortably, shifting a bit, while others raised their phones and cameras to commit the painting to memory. Had they not been told that the painting was hundreds of years old, they would have believed it to be made recently. To them, it seemed like all historical artefacts in this castle were taken care of quite well.

The woman cleared her throat unnecessarily to gain the attention of the tourists once again, before she spoke up.

"Our next stop is the throne room, where the kings would gather and make laws, or speak justice. As today is a special day, we have managed to arrange a small play for you to demonstrate what it was like in those days. I hope you will enjoy it!"

With those words the beautiful vampire led the group of humans towards the doors. Demetri slipped out of the throne room, walking past them, quickly whispering in her ear, "Save some for me, will you?"

Heidi grinned, shaking her head in mock disapproval before winking at the bulky man. "I'll see about that."

Demetri flitted past her, disappearing into the hallways. When Heidi received the signal from the guards at the enormous wooden doors, she turned towards the group of humans once more, smiling widely.

"It is permitted to take pictures inside, but please make sure the flash is off. Enjoy!"

The two cloaked figures opened the doors in a fluent motion. One by one, the tourists poured into the room, their eager behaviour soon replaced with hesitancy as the unease crept onto them. However, their attention was soon pulled to the magnificent creatures perched on the thrones in the centre of the room.

Aro watched in delight as the group of humans trickled in. Heidi had done her job well, as usual. His mouth watered in anticipation, as he inhaled deeply.

Caius was looking at his brother with an exasperated expression. Though he too enjoyed 'dinner time', he did not understand the need to make it into such a happening. Their meal would not have the chance to remember whatever would happen right before their death. Aro had always had a flare for the dramatics, he thought.

The sound of the heavy doors closing echoed through the tall room, shaking the king out of his reverie. Aro stood from his throne, all eyes following him in his movements. He clapped his hands excitedly, a grin spreading across his face before he finally spoke up.

"Welcome, guests! Welcome to-"

"It's so pretty in here," a young voice mindlessly interrupted Aro.

Everyone turned around as one, eyes searching for the source of the voice. Soon, their gazes fell upon a small girl in a red dress, standing near the back of the group: she could not have been more than five years old. Stunned, the guard watched the child as she leisurely looked around the room. She did not even seem to notice that everyone's focus was on her now.

"The building style is magnificent," the girl wondered, stumbling over the big word. She sighed softly. "I wish I had a camera."

Aro's gaze followed the girl with an abashed expression plastered on his face. He did not understand why a child was participating in this tour, nor did he understand the reaction she had upon entering the throne room. The survival instincts of children were so much more in tune around them, but the girl did not seem to have a single concern. They had hired a human tour guide for the specific reason of keeping children out of their diets; Emilio was able to show the families who were interested in the city hall around in the upper level of the building. It perplexed Aro that this girl's family had slipped under the radar.

However, as Aro further looked through the group of humans, he could not find anyone who might be her guardian. Instead, the adults stepped back from the girl, as if to show she was not their responsibility.

When Aro glanced at their fisher, she looked as surprised as the rest of them. Heidi stood as frozen, her eyes wide. She had been with the group for nearly an hour now, but she had not once noticed the presence of the little human girl. She shook herself out of her stupor and stepped forward to present her hand to Aro, who did not hesitate to accept the offer.

As the king browsed through Heidi's recent thoughts, a pensive look struck his face. He tried to search for a reason to the ignorance of the girl's presence, but he could not find a single clue. Slowly, he let go of Heidi's hand, the transaction having taken only a few seconds. The girl was still looking around the room, though she seemed to have lost interest in the architecture and she was now looking at the members of the guard lined along the walls.

With a barely noticeable nod of Aro, Heidi made her way over to the child. The humans surrounding her, shuffled backwards.

"Where are your parents, little one? Did you not know this tour is for adults only?" Heidi asked as she knelt down in front of the girl.

The child did not even look at her when she answered with a surprisingly clear voice. "I had to go with you."

Everyone was still watching the interaction, but some of the vampires were getting restless. It had been quite a while since they had gotten presented a feast like this and it was starting to take a little long to start. Caius, who was never one for patience, had had enough of the talking and made his way over to his brother to show him he should hurry up with interrogation. But he had barely taken one step when Marcus, the third king, suddenly gasped.

The guard and the two brothers whipped their heads around to see the otherwise passive king gripping the armrests of his throne with such a force that they crumbled within his hands. With a flash Aro stood next to his brother, who did not even acknowledge his presence.

Excited whispers arose from the guard as Aro's hands fluttered, not knowing what to do. Marcus had not spoken or made a sound in centuries; none of the guard had ever heard him talk. He had withdrawn himself completely after the death of his beloved Didyme. Where he had once been a feared warrior, he now spent his days mourning his lost love by wandering around the castle and its gardens. The little communication he did have was through his thoughts with Aro.

No one understood why he had not gone insane yet.

However, it seemed that something had finally broken through the wall which had been in place for such a long time. The king relaxed his hands slowly, the debris falling to the ground. He did not take his eyes from the girl as he presented his palm to his brother.

Aro's eyes widened as he saw the peculiar bonds which surrounded the child. He let go of Marcus's hand and looked at Heidi, who was still knelt down in front of the subject in question. There was so much mystery surrounding her, so much to unravel and he quickly made a decision.

"Heidi, will you take our small guest to Gianna? We will talk to her later," Aro told Heidi, making sure he spoke too fast for the humans to hear. However, it appeared he did not succeed, as the girl moved her gaze from Heidi towards him.

"But I haven't seen them yet," the girl said frowning. Her expression turned to one of determination. "I can't leave without knowing at least something, he said I had to talk to them!"

Her words only confused the vampires more and although they whispered amongst each other, no one reacted to her cryptic statement. When the girl did not receive a response, her little shoulders slumped forward and she turned around, away from Heidi.

"I really thought I had to be here," she mumbled sadly to herself, making her way to the wooden doors. "I have never been wrong before! And he told me-"

"Who is this man you refer to, little one? What is it you seek to find?" Aro asked, moving towards the girl.

"I don't know," she answered him as she halted in her movements.

"Who told you something? Was it important to know? You can tell us," Heidi said, standing upright. This time, the girl turned around and looked into the vampire's eyes.

"I am not allowed to tell you, your eyes are black. I can only talk to the red-eyed ones," she told Heidi with a firm voice.

The vampire's eyes widened in shock at the girl's apparent knowledge. Aro moved to ask the girl for her hand, when he noticed footsteps approaching the throne room. The child's eyes widened, her heartbeat speeding up in anticipation as she started to bounce excitedly.

"I knew I was right!" she sighed, turning back to face the doors. Not even a second later they opened, revealing the person she had been waiting for.

"Master-"

* * *

 _A/N:_ _Hi there! Please let me know what you think :)_

 _\- Laura_

 _27-04-2019: I am in the process of slowly editing and re-writing the chapters of this story, which means there could be some inconsistencies until I correct them. Just know that the plot will stay the same, which means there will be no problem for those of you who start reading this story while I am working on it. Sorry for the inconvenience!_


	2. Chapter 2 - Pancakes

_"I knew I was right!" she sighed as she turned back towards the doors. Not even a second later they opened, revealing the person she had been waiting for._

 _"Master-"_

 _Time seemed to stop for a minute._

* * *

 **Chapter** **2 - Pancakes**

Jane stood in the doorway as she looked down onto the human child. What on earth was going on here? The blond vampire had just arrived back at the castle from her mission to China where she had also royally quenched her thirst. She was headed to the throne room to report back to Aro, but she had never expected to find a child here. To be honest, she had thought that the feast would be over already; instead here she was, looking at the group of humans which was huddled close in the corner. The tourists were all watching a small girl, who was standing next to Aro. When the child spotted Jane her face lit up and she started to bounce excitedly on her spot.

"Hi," the happy little girl said as she took a step forward. "You need to help me."

At that comment Jane's thoughtful expression turned into a scowl. Who did this girl think she was? Usually everyone evaded Jane as much as they could; they were very scared of her and in particular her sadistic nature. It was something she did not have a problem with and she gleefully continued the habit of showing anyone who was in her way what exactly her powers were.

Through the centuries Jane had built up a reputation as one half of the so-called 'witch twins' and she enjoyed the power she had over others. She was a feared Volturi member now, following orders from her kings and going on missions every once in a while. But now there was this little girl, who should not even _be_ here in the first place, asking her for help.

"No," Jane answered abruptly in a tone that made the other humans cower away. But the girl didn't seem impressed, if anything, she smiled even bigger.

"You do. You're the one with the red eyes here," she said happily as if it was the most logical explanation ever.

The girl's words only confused Jane even more and she squeezed her eyes as she analyzed the little human. In the meantime the others finally seemed to be able to move again and Aro stepped forward. "Jane, will you take this girl with you, so we can finish our... arrangements here. We would like to talk with her later."

Jane was just about to tell him that he should find someone else to take the girl when the child was already at her side, taking her hand. "Let's go now, shall we?" the little girl said as she cheerfully skipped forward, pulling Jane along. The blond vampire was too stunned to say anything and although she wished she was able to, she couldn't stop herself from walking with the girl.

"Buon appetito!" The child shouted right before the heavy doors shut behind them with a loud thud. Caius, who had taken his chance to immediately attack his meal when the girl was outside of his line of sight, almost choked on the deliciously hot blood that was pouring down his throat.

The others quickly quenched their thirst before Aro returned to his throne, deep in thought and extremely confused. What did this girl know and even more important: _how_ did she know it? On his left Caius sat down while he ordered the guard to dispose of the bodies.

"What do we do now?" he asked his brother while he straightened out his clothes.

"We talk to the girl, of course," Marcus answered him. Everyone froze for a second; they were too stunned to say anything after the king talked for the first time in centuries.

After a scolding look from Caius the guard quickly continued with their tasks and the two brothers turned towards Marcus. Aro studied him for a moment before he nodded. "That is not such a bad idea actually. Heidi, would you-"

The doors opened and Felix came walking in, the little girl was sitting on his shoulders, giggling when they entered the room.

"Faster! Faster!" she shouted as he sped up and finally stopped right in front of the three kings.

"Masters, she said you wanted to talk to her?" Felix said as he lifted the girl of his shoulders before he put her down on the ground. The big vampire bowed for his kings and he turned around to give the child a high five before he disappeared into the hallways. The remaining guard members looked after him with surprised looks on their faces before they carried on with what they were doing before.

The girl was standing in front of the three brothers now, looking around and admiring the throne room with a wondering gaze. The room was _even_ prettier than she had thought; it really looked like a castle in here. The walls were made of uneven grey stone, the high ceiling was covered in paintings. The doors, which opened to the hallway her new friend disappeared in, were made of thick wood and had different carvings all over it. Lastly there were the thrones of course, the spot where the three men were seated. The thrones looked quite nice, but not very comfortable to sit on for a long period of time, though she knew that would not be a problem for the kings. When the girl had finished her analysis of the room she returned her gaze to the three men again and smiled excitedly.

Before Aro could think of something to say to this peculiar child Marcus stood up from his throne and walked towards the girl. "Hello, little one, what is your name?" he asked her in a soft voice. The child looked up at him, a big smile on her face.

"I'm Isabella," she answered happily as she shuffled her feet. Isabella was thrilled to finally be in Italy; it had taken her some time and effort to reach this place, but it was certainly worth it.

Marcus smiled at her, stunning the others for the third time that day. "Isabella, what a wonderful name. My name is-"

"You're Marcus," Isabella interrupted while she watched him with a scrutinizing gaze. Suddenly she looked up at the king before she opened her arms and hugged him. "You looked like you needed a hug," she told a stunned Marcus as she let go of him. When he smiled at her she grinned back before she turned around to the other kings and sighed solemnly.

"You all need to help me," she stated earnestly as she looked them into the eye, one by one. She had already noticed that their black eyes were gone and they were a pretty red colour now; she knew she should talk with them.

"What is it we can help you with?" Aro asked curiously as he approached the girl. Isabella contemplated on what to say; in her hurry to come here she had not thought about what exactly she would tell them. "May I?" the king said as he looked at her hand when the girl did not immediately respond. Isabella watched him for a second before she reached out her hand; Aro took it with both of his and he closed his eyes. As he tried to browse through her thoughts a frown appeared on his face and after a while he opened his eyes again and looked into the girl's eyes. "You are a special one, dear Isabella."

"What is it?" Caius demanded as he observed the scene that was playing out in front of him. Aro turned towards his brother with a thoughtful look on his face. "Her mind is built up in such a complex way that I cannot reach any of her thoughts." he told Caius, who's eyes widened slightly.

"That only happened once before, am I right?" Caius asked his brother. "Only with-"

"Will you help me now?" Isabella asked as she was getting restless. She had been told her she needed to tell them as soon as she could and she knew this to be true.

"What is it you need help with, Isabella?" Marcus asked her, worry clearly present in his voice.

"You need to kill him." Isabella stated gravely as she looked around.

It was silent for a second before Aro spoke again. "Who is it we need to kill?" he asked Isabella as she turned around to face him again.

"I don't know," she answered happily. "Now, are there any pancakes here? I'm hungry."

* * *

 _A/N: Hey, thanks for reading my story! Please review :)_

 _\- Laura_


	3. Chapter 3 - Calling

_"What is it you need help with, Isabella?" Marcus asked her, worry clearly present in his voice._

 _"You need to kill him." Isabella stated gravely as she looked around._

 _It was silent for a second before Aro spoke again. "Who is it we need to kill?" he asked Isabella as she turned around to face him again._

 _"I don't know," she answered happily. "Now, are there any pancakes here? I'm hungry."_

* * *

 **Chapter 3 - Calling**

Isabella did get her pancakes, made by Gianna who had been called after a few failed attempts at cooking from Heidi. The girl was sitting at the kitchen island now, happily stuffing her mouth as she looked around. It was a very pretty kitchen; it looked like the kitchens from the TV-shows Isabella sometimes watched when she was bored. It was very spacious, huge windows covered one side of the room while the other walls were painted white. In front of the windows there was a dinner table, which was where Isabella was currently seated with her delicious food. In the corner of the kitchen there giant fridge that was now filled with lots of different kinds of food and in the middle there was a huge kitchen island.

While Isabella was eating the room slowly filled with vampires; everyone wanted to catch another glimpse of this mysterious human girl that asked the kings for their help. Heidi was keeping an eye on Isabella to see if she was getting uncomfortable with this many vampires nearby, but the little girl continued to eat as if nothing was happening. The truth was that Isabella didn't mind the attention at all and when it became cramped in the kitchen she looked around in amusement as she ate another piece of pancake. These people were staring at her like she was the most fascinating thing they had ever seen, which was a funny sight. Isabella giggled softly as she thought it was rather silly that they were all this interested in her.

When she finished her pancakes she hopped of the stool and walked to the kitchen counter, where she carefully put her plate down on the countertop. Then she started to push a chair towards the sink before she climbed on top and carefully opened the water tap after she grabbed the dish soap from a nearby shelf. With utter concentration Isabella picked up the plate and she started to clean quickly realized what the girl was doing and she stepped forward to stop her; there were enough employees to carry out that little task.

"You do not have to do that, Isabella, we can do that for you," Heidi said kindly as she closed the water tap and preventing the sink from flowing over. Isabella looked up for a moment before she turned around to continue her task.

"I can do it, I really can!" she said determinedly as she took the plate out of the water, put it back on the kitchen counter and climbed of the chair while being steadied by Heidi when she lost her balance for a second. The other vampires watched with fascination as the child started to rumble through the cupboards.

"Got it!" Isabella said triumphantly as she held up a dish towel. She skipped back to the sink and picked the plate up from the countertop so she could dry it off, but it slipped through her hands and fell to the floor, shattering in pieces.

Stunned Isabella stared at the mess she made before she slowly looked up with wide eyes.

"Sorry?" she said to Heidi in a timid voice as she shuffled her feet. Now she had ruined the pretty plate while she had only meant to clean it. She started to take a step forward so she could pick up the pieces but Heidi quickly walked over and lifted the girl, preventing her from stepping too close the shards and most likely getting hurt. She didn't think the kings would be very happy if Isabella got injured.

"It does not matter, Isabella, it was an accident. We will just buy a new plate," Heidi kindly told the girl, who was looking at her with a sad expression on her face. With that comment Isabella's sullen mood was quickly gone and she smiled again, almost radiating happiness. Heidi put the girl down far away from the broken plate as she ordered Lucia, one of the human employees, to clean up the mess.

Meanwhile Isabella had already forgotten about the incident and she was looking around for a friend she could play with now that she had satisfied her hunger. When she saw Marcus entering the kitchen her face lit up and she ran towards him. The king knelt down and he was quick to accept her hug.

"Do you wanna play with me?" Isabella asked him as she took his hand. "I would love to, little one, but first we would like to talk with you," Marcus answered as he stood up and started walking towards the door. Isabella sighed, she thought they had already done enough talking today.

"All right," she answered as she followed the king out of the door.

"We were wondering whether you need to contact your caregivers?" Marcus asked while they turned around the corner.

Isabella stopped dead in her tracks; she had totally forgotten about that! "You have a phone here, right?" she asked Marcus as she looked up at him. When he nodded the smile returned to her face and she walked on. "Then we'll be just fine."

They roamed through the hallways in a comfortable silence, both deep in thought. As they approached the throne room a pensive expression appeared on Isabella's face. "What is it, Isabella?" Marcus asked when the girl slowed down.

"Changing Gianna is a good plan," Isabella mumbled. "Your friend will agree with me."

Marcus stared at Isabella incredulously as he wished to know more. It seemed that the girl always talked in mysteries that only she understood and it intrigued him greatly. But before he could continue on the topic Isabella sped up again and the pensive look on her face was replaced with a cheerful smile. Marcus decided to broach the subject later on as he let her pull him along.

Two guard members opened the doors of the throne room for them, smiling at the little human, and Isabella stepped inside with Marcus at her side. Aro and Caius were already waiting, standing in front of their thrones with their mates; Sulpicia and Athenodora had just arrived back from their shopping trip to France.

Both women had gotten the choice to help with the ruling of the vampire world long ago, but they had declined, wishing to have freedom and not be bound to millions of tasks. Now they only helped when their husbands were in need, if there was too much work for the three kings to complete.

Isabella smiled when she saw the two new vampires in front of her. They were really beautiful and she just knew they would get along very well. Sulpicia stepped forward as she held her hands out to the child. "Hello there, you must be Isabella. I am Sulpicia and this here is Athenodora."

"I know who you are," Isabella said happily as she let go of Marcus' hand. "You truly have pretty eyes. Can we talk now, please? I really want to play, but Marcus said we have to talk first."

Athenodora and Sulpicia looked at each other with a smile while Aro nodded and he led the others towards a door behind the thrones. Behind the door there was a big room filled with hundreds of books; Isabella looked around in amazement. The little girl absolutely loved to read and the books in here seemed very interesting and mysterious, it was like an entire new world opened to her.

The vampires watched Isabella with smiles on their faces as they led her to the seating area and all sat down on the different couches. Isabella decided that she wanted to sit next to Marcus and she flopped down on the comfy red couch.

"Well, Isabella, first we would like to know how old you are," Athenodora said as she analyzed the girl. "I'm four and a half now," Isabella answered happily. "It's almost my birthday and do you know what I am going to ask for? A real bike and maybe a book too and then I want to go to the zoo to see all the animals."

The vampires looked on in amusement as Isabella chattered happily about her wishes. When the girl was done talking Caius was the next to pose a question. "Where do you come from?" he asked.

"I'm from America. Well, that's where I live at least." Isabella answered as she started to play with the hem of her dress.

"Who was it that told you to come here?" Aro asked. A thoughtful look appeared on Isabella's face as she contemplated on what to say.

He had told her not to tell them his name just yet, but she did not want to lie to her new friends either.

"He has blond hair," was the answer she decided on. Athenodora opened her mouth to ask Isabella the name of the person she met, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door. The wooden door opened and Gianna came walking in, holding a phone in her hand.

"I am sorry to interrupt, but I have a caller on the phone who wishes to speak to Isabella."

* * *

 _A/N: Heeey! Thank you for reading my story, please tell me what you think of this new chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_


	4. Chapter 4 - Millennia

_"Who was it that told you to come here?" Aro asked. A thoughtful look appeared on Isabella's face as she contemplated on what to say. He had told her not to tell them his name just yet, but she did not want to lie to her new friends either._

 _"He has blond hair," was the answer she decided on. Athenodora opened her mouth to ask Isabella the name of the person she met, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door. The door opened and Gianna came walking in, holding a phone in her hand._

 _"I am sorry to interrupt, but I have a caller on the phone who wishes to speak to Isabella."_

* * *

 **Chapter 4 - Millennia**

All eyes were on Isabella when Gianna handed over the phone. The girl eagerly accepted it and held it to her ear as a smile appeared on her face. "Renée? I wondered when you would call."

 _"Bella? Oh, finally! I was so worried about you!"_ a voice on the other end of the line said. Isabella looked down guiltily as she shuffled her feet. "I'm sorry, but I _really_ had to go."

 _"I know you had your reasons, sweetie, though maybe you can try and warn me first the next time you disappear. I waited for hours for you to return from school! I almost called Charlie to come and help search for you."_

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worried Renée!" Isabella said sheepishly while she started to play with her hair. She truly loved Renée; the woman had helped her greatly the past few years and Isabella didn't like it that she had distressed her.

 _"I know you didn't mean for me to worry, but I can't help it, Bella. For all I knew you had stranded in the middle of the forest again, or in Alaska! It isn't fun when the little girl you care for ends up in the hospital with severe hypothermia."_

At that comment the vampires were staring at Isabella with wide eyes.

"It's good that you found me now, at least? I'm happy you got my note," Isabella said softly, not noticing the looks she was given.

 _"Yes, luckily I did, I'm so glad to finally be in touch with you. Are you safe? Have you eaten yet? Did you sleep well? Where are you, anyway?"_

"I couldn't be safer," Isabella answered. "I'm in Italy."

It was silent for a minute before Renée spoke up again. _"Italy? Oh well, I shouldn't have expected any different,"_ she said amusedly. _"How long are you staying there? Should I come to take you back? I'm sure I can make some arrangements at work so I can get on the first plane to Italy. Are you with someone at the moment?"_

"I think I'll be staying in Italy for a while," Isabella told her. "I will have to make some plans, but it will work out."

 _"You'll be staying? I know I can trust you to make the right decision, you always do so, but Italy is pretty far away, sweetheart. Are you sure you can't come home with me?"_

Athenodora looked up; she did not quite understand why Renée trusted her four year old daughter to make such a big decision by herself. The girl was probably not even in preschool yet, parents still helped their child to dress themselves at this age. But this girl was apparently allowed to choose for herself whether she wanted to stay in Italy and it all confused Athenodora profoundly.

"I'm sorry Renée, but I really can't," Isabella said in a sorrowful voice.

 _"I understand, Bella. Don't feel guilty about all of this; I know you can't help it, but please call me if you need help with anything. Is there someone to take care of you there? I know that you are an independent girl, but you can't do everything alone, you know."_

"I made some new friends! They are very nice to me and I just had some pancakes that were really good."

 _"The thought that you're not alone makes me feel slightly better at least and remember that you can always call me or Charlie if you need something. We both love you very much, please let us know if you are doing well."_

"I will! Thank you Renée, love you!" Isabella said as she ended the phone call. She lowered the phone from her ear and looked up.

The vampires were staring at her with stunned looks on their faces. This little girl just had almost an entire conversation talking and discussing as if she was an adult instead of a four year old. Marcus was the first one to speak up.

"Was that your mother?" he asked Isabella, who was back at playing with the hem of her dress.

The girl frowned at him like that was a stupid question as she answered. "No, that was Renée."

Aro furrowed his brows. "But who is-"

"Will you be staying with us, here in the castle?" Sulpicia interrupted. She truly hoped Isabella would stay; she seemed like a very sweet and intelligent girl. It would be nice to have a new face in the castle, things tend to get boring when you live for thousands of years. Not forgetting to mention that Marcus seemed alive again in the presence of the child.

"Could I?" Isabella slowly said as she looked at the vampires with pleading eyes. She knew she would be safe here, safer than any other place she could go. And the people were really nice to her; she was certain she would make tons of friends who she could have fun with.

If the vampires had been planning to say no, they would have probably changed their answer when they saw Isabella's face. There was no way that they would be able to deny the girl anything if she was looking at them like that.

"Of course you can stay," Marcus told her with a smile on his face. "In fact, we should tell some of the guards to prepare a room for you."

Isabella's face lit up and she jumped of the couch, taking Marcus' hand and pulling him along. She was back in a happy mood again after the serious conversation she had just had. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! And can we play when we're done?"

Marcus smiled and nodded. "I would love to, dear Isabella. We will go and find Heidi; she can help us to make some arrangements."

The little girl and the king left the room, happily chatting. The other vampires watched them with a mix of emotions on their faces.

"She truly is something different," Athenodora sighed as she cuddled up next to her mate. "I wish we knew more about her, though. She still is as much of a mystery to me now as she was an hour ago."

"Are we sure that this is a wise move? Just as you said, Athenodora, we know almost nothing about the girl. How do we know she does not pose a danger to us?" Caius asked thoughtfully. Although he did not admit it, he had come to like the girl too. It concerned him that she was able to form such strong bonds in the small amount of time that she had been with them.

Caius's comment had the others thinking for a moment before Aro responded. "I do not believe that Isabella poses a danger to us. If she does pose a danger it would still be the best idea to have her here, close to us, where we can keep an eye on her. But like I said, I do not believe that she is dangerous."

"I must agree with Aro on this topic," Sulpicia said. "But what will we explain to the guard about the situation?"

"I think we should let Isabella choose for herself what she wants them to know, she will also be able to explain best why she is here," Aro said as he picked up a book from the side table. "For now I think we should let her and Marcus do what they want to do without interfering. Isabella is incredibly intriguing, she is like a miracle; I have not seen Marcus this content and attentive in millennia."

The others nodded in agreement; they too had noticed how much Marcus' mood had improved today. He had been sad and depressed for the past three thousand years, they had gotten used to it long ago. Now that Isabella was here it was like he was alive again, they could see the person he was before the death of his mate: the caring brother, the powerful ruler, the warrior.

Deep in thought Caius picked up some papers he was working on to continue his job, Athenodora reading an article at his side. Both Aro and Sulpicia seated themselves on the couch with a book, cuddling into each other.

They sat like that for hours; reading, relaxing, thinking. For the first time in years they were able to truly be content and happy.

* * *

 _A/N:_ _Hi! Thank you for reading_ _my story and a special thanks to all that reviewed, it makes me happy :) Please tell me what you think of this new chapter!_

 _\- Laura_


	5. Chapter 5 - Books

_Deep in thought Caius picked up some papers he was working on to continue his job, Athenodora reading an article at his side. Both Aro and Sulpicia seated themselves on the couch with a book, cuddling into each other._

 _They sat like that for hours; reading, relaxing, thinking. For the first time in years they were able to truly be content and happy._

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - Books**

Just as Sulpicia finished the book that she was reading the door slowly opened. Marcus came walking in, a sleeping Isabella in his arms.

The most serene and peaceful expression was plastered on the girl's face, her breathing slow as she was snuggled into the king's chest. "Her room will be finished in a few minutes," Marcus whispered softly as he lay Isabella down on the couch. "We had a lot of help from the guard to get it done in time."

"She is such a precious girl," Sulpicia sighed as she stood up and tucked a strand of hair behind Isabella's ear. "She has us all wrapped around her little finger, even if she does not fully realize it herself."

A knock on the door had them all turning around and they watched as Heidi came walking in. "Masters, the room is finished, would you like me to take Isabella there?" she whispered. At Marcus's nod she carefully picked the girl up, who just nestled herself into the beautiful vampire's arms and sighed. Heidi smiled softly at the sight and she exited the room, leaving the three kings alone with their mates.

Marcus was looking melancholily at the door, already missing the little girl's presence and happiness. She seemed to light up his boring existence, her playfulness made him show off the softer side of his character.

Aro cleared his throat to get the attention from his brother as he held out his hand. "Care to share your thoughts?"

Marcus chuckled, his brother certainly was very curious, just like he had always been. As he had nothing to hide he placed his hand in Aro's palm. Within seconds Aro had caught up with Marcus's thoughts and he was now looking at his brother with a searching look on his face.

"You care for her very much, isn't it?" Aro said, attracting the attention of the others who were now watching Marcus with interested expressions.

When the old king nodded the look on Sulpicia's face turned thoughtful. "Care for her... in what way exactly?" she carefully asked as she cocked her head.

Marcus's eyes widened as he understood what his sister was implying. "No, Sulpicia, it is not like that. I merely meant I care for her in a strong familial sense, dear sister. It feels like the bond I for example have with you, although a bit... different."

Sulpicia smiled at him, satisfied with his answer, before she cuddled up next to her mate again. "So enlighten us, what exactly did you and Isabella do this afternoon?"

Marcus smiled as he thought back to the time he spent with the girl. Isabella had been very enthusiastic at the idea of a new room and Heidi had been more than willing to help and arrange everything she would need. It turned out that Isabella had a great love for anything that was brightly coloured and she absolutely needed all the colours in her room. When Heidi had carefully pointed out that maybe some colours would clash the little human had fiercely stood her ground as she told the vampire again and again that she wanted all colours. The bickering had attracted quite some attention and a small gathering of vampires was watching amusedly as Heidi finally gave into the little one's plan.

As soon as Heidi had announced she was going to get the furniture and paint for the room some of the guards that were off had joined her, wanting to help out as well. They had been lucky; it was one of the rare days that the sky was overcast, which meant they could go shopping immediately. Heidi had refused to take Isabella with her; she did not trust herself enough to keep an eye on the girl considering the fact that she had already slipped under the radar in Heidi's tour.

Isabella had been quite sad when Heidi left without her, but her sullen mood was quickly gone when she had remembered she could finally play with Marcus. When she found out there were no toys in the castle she had looked at the king with wide eyes.

"No dolls? No cars? No Legos? No crayons? No paint?" she had asked him and when he shook his head again and again the shocked expression on her face had grown bigger before her look turned to one of determination. "Then we'll have to make a game ourselves." Isabella had stated before she pulled Marcus along to the reception desk where a bewildered Gianna gave them paper and pens when the girl had politely requested some stationary supplies.

After Isabella had loaded all the stuff into her arms she had looked up to Marcus, asking where they could go. The king had led her to the library, where Isabella almost couldn't believe what she saw. Everywhere she looked there were books, books and more books; it was like heaven to her. When Marcus had seen the wonder in the eyes of the girl he had asked if she would maybe like to look at the books instead. Isabella had been quick to agree and together they had wandered through the library. While the king had searched for an easy book, one with lots of pictures he could tell Isabella about, the girl had walked over to the literature section where she ran her finger over the spines of the books.

"Hey, I read this one at home too!" Isabella had suddenly said as she pulled a first edition of 'Romeo and Juliet' from the shelves.

Marcus had raised his eyebrows in surprise; he did not know children of her age could already read book like that. "Did you like it?" he had asked as he walked over to Isabella.

Isabella had scrunched up her nose as she answered. "No, not really, they die in the end! What kind of story is that? I just read it because I was bored and Renée could not play with me because she was on the phone with Charlie."

The king had thought for a bit before he posed another question. "Charlie and Renée are not your parents?" he asked inquisitively.

"No, they had just gotten married when they found me, I had somehow ended up in their backyard," Isabella had answered as she put 'Romeo and Juliet' back on the shelf. "When no one could find out who my biological parents were they adopted me."

"So you do not know who your biological parents are?" Marcus had asked as he continued his search for a book. When it stayed quiet he looked at Isabella, who was standing still at the end of the shelve, tears rolling down her cheeks. The king had hurried over to her and asked what was wrong.

"I do know." Isabella had answered softly as tears continued to stream down her cheeks. The king had quickly pulled the girl into a hug, not daring to ask more in fear of upsetting her even more. "Shall we search for a book to read?" he had asked after a few minutes and a small smile broke through on Isabella's face. "Okay." she had whispered.

They had spent the rest of the time in the sitting area, talking and reading book after book before Isabella had fallen asleep in the armchair. Marcus had scolded himself when he saw that it was nearing midnight already. He picked Isabella up and he had taken her to his brothers and sisters.

When Marcus finished telling the others what had happened in the afternoon they were all deep in thought.

"The poor girl," Sulpicia mumbled as she ran her hand through her hair. "What has happened to her in her short life?"

"Sometimes when I talk to her I feel like she must have an old soul; she displays wisdom and knowledge for a person far beyond her age." Marcus mused as he got up to search for something he could read until Isabella woke up.

Aro put away his book and a pensive expression struck his face. "I understand what you are talking about, that is exactly what I gathered from your thou-"

Suddenly an ear-piercing scream cut through the air.

"Isabella?" Athenodora whispered as her eyes widened in shock.

* * *

 _A/N: Hi! Another update here :) Thanks for reading my story, please review!_

 _\- Laura_


	6. Chapter 6 - Fire

_When Marcus finished telling the others what had happened in the afternoon they were all deep in thought._

 _"Sometimes when I talk to her I feel like she must have an old soul; she displays wisdom and knowledge for a person far beyond her age." Marcus mused as he got up to search for something he could read until Isabella woke up._

 _Aro put away his book and a pensive expression struck his face. "I understand what you are talking about, that is exactly what I gathered from your thou-"_

 _Suddenly an ear-piercing scream cut through the air._

 _"Isabella?" Athenodora whispered as her eyes widened in shock._

* * *

 **Chapter 6 -** **Fire**

Right as the name left Athenodora's lips Marcus and Sulpicia were on their way, running towards Isabella's room as fast as they could.

The bedroom door stood wide open; inside they could see a frantic Heidi trying with all her might to wake up the screaming girl. "Isabella! Isabella!" she called as she shook the girl's shoulders.

Isabella was lashing out at her, still asleep; the vampires could smell the fear she was emitting. "No! Ti prego, smettila!" she screamed as she trashed around. The screaming slowly faltered as tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"No!" Isabella called out before she broke down in sobs. When Marcus saw there was no physical danger in the room he quickly took the girl in his arms and held her close as she slowly woke up.

"Mamma, mamma," Isabella cried while she held onto Marcus and hid her head in his chest.

The sound of the little girl crying was absolutely heart-breaking. As Sulpicia looked at her brother and Isabella her eyes filled with venom tears. Aro, who entered the room with Caius and Athenodora, quickly walked over to his mate to embrace her. Marcus was making shushing sounds now; calming the girl who obviously was very upset.

After a few minutes Isabella gradually stopped crying and she slowly opened her eyes. "Did you have a nightmare, little one?" Marcus softly asked as he wiped away her tears. She nodded and buried her head in the crook of his neck, shuddering as she remembered what she had dreamt about. When Marcus noticed the girl was shivering he looked up at Heidi, who was standing next to Sulpicia. "Would you be so kind to light a fire in-"

"No!" Isabella shouted abruptly as she looked up at the vampires with wide eyes. "No! No fire!"

Startled Heidi looked at the child as she put away the chunk of wood she had grabbed. Marcus frowned. "What is wrong with fire, Isabella?" he asked her concernedly. It was quiet for a minute before she responded.

"Death," she whispered in a grave voice.

It was not something Isabella liked to think about; it made her sad, but some days she could just not escape it. And while all she wanted to do now was eat breakfast and play with her new toys in her new room with her new friends, she knew her vampires would want to know what was wrong.

"Why do you associate fire with death, little one?" Aro asked as he studied the child curiously. "I saw it happen," Isabella said, not paying attention; she looked like she was off somewhere else in her head.

Sulpicia was watching and decided it had been enough for now; the girl was obviously still very upset and death was not a topic someone this young should have to think about. "Would it be all right if I took Isabella to the kitchen for some breakfast? That way you can finish all the tasks that still have to be done and we can spend the rest of our time together," she told the others.

Isabella nodded and held out her little hands indicating she wanted Sulpicia to pick her up. Within seconds she was comfortably in the queen's arms and she waved Marcus goodbye. As Sulpicia walked out the door the girl started to play with the necklace the queen was wearing; the sign she was a part of the Volturi family.

"It's so pretty," Isabella sighed dreamily as she touched the gemstones that indicated Sulpicia's status as queen.

Sulpicia smiled at the child's antics as she entered the kitchen before she carefully put her down on a chair at the dining table. Gianna, who had been informed by Heidi that the girl had awoken and would want breakfast soon, was already preparing the food. Isabella's face lit up as soon as she saw the waffles with strawberries and she started to bounce excitedly in her chair in anticipation. Gianna chuckled as she placed a plate in front of the girl who had already earned a special place in her heart.

When Isabella had finally finished breakfast - she had gotten distracted by everything and everyone who passed by - Sulpicia took her back to her room, where the girl happily took out her colouring supplies and convinced the queen to join her at the table in the corner. Sulpicia looked around the room in wonder as she took in all the new furniture and bright coloured knick-knacks that were scattered all over. The room _was_ quite pretty, although it was obvious a child had chosen the decorations. She had not quite expected this design when she heard Marcus talk about the girl's love for bright colours. It seemed that Heidi had been able to negotiate enough with the child to make sure no one would get a headache from a visual overload, or so to speak.

The walls had been painted a soft lilac colour, creating a peaceful but warm atmosphere. In front of the huge windows, which looked out onto the castle's courtyard, hung bright pink curtains with a joyous flower pattern; there was no doubt it was Isabella's pick. The bed had a simple white frame and it matched with the comfy white armchairs that were positioned in the corner of the room. It was the one part of the room which looked like it was planned by a designer, though Sulpicia did have some qualms about the fact that there was a _white_ armchair in a room for a child. She was not sure if that was the wisest choice, but it did give the bedroom a sleek look.

In front of one wall there were huge white cupboards; there was enough room for Isabella to store her toys and crafting supplies as well as display her artwork on the open shelves. The door leading towards the walk-in closet, which was no doubt already filled with clothes, was covered in chalkboard paint for the girl to make drawings on. Most bright colours could be found in the decorations, which were scattered all around the room. It looked like they had all been chosen by Isabella herself; they seemed to have been picked at random but with a lot of thought about the girl's interests. Somehow they did, quite miraculously, match with each other.

While Sulpicia finished looking around the room Isabella lay out her supplies and chose a picture of a castle which she started to colour. When the girl noticed her friend was just watching her she looked up. "You have to colour too! Here, you can pick one of my pictures," Isabella said with an endearing smile.

Although Sulpicia felt slightly absurd, picking a drawing of a unicorn, she was not able to refuse the happy girl's request. Now they were colouring in silence, only interrupted by the occasional random observation from the child.

Suddenly Isabella's voice broke through the silence again. "Mamma died in the fire."

At that comment Sulpicia stopped for a moment to look at the girl, who was still concentrating on the picture in front of her. "I'm so sorry," she said empathically in a soft voice. "You must miss her a lot."

"I do miss her," Isabella sighed as she picked a new crayon. "But she is always with me, I know that."

The queen smiled softly as she put her hand on the girl's arm. "That must be true."

-oOo-

A few hours later Isabella was sitting on Sulpicia's lap in the white armchair as she listened to a story that the queen was reading to her. Isabella had already eaten lunch; they were currently waiting for the others to finish their tasks and join them in the girl's bedroom.

When Sulpicia was in the middle of her story Isabella suddenly looked up, alarmed as her eyes widened. "We have to go to the front desk!" she said panicky before she abruptly stood up. The queen confusedly looked at the girl before she realized Isabella wanted her to take her there. Within seconds she had the child scooped into her arms and they were on their way.

A corner away from their destination Isabella started to wiggle in Sulpicia's arms, indicating she wanted to be put down. When her feet touched the ground she ran around the corner as fast as she could. She had to be on time; she knew things would go extremely wrong if she wasn't.

"STOP!" Isabella shouted from the top of her lungs.

* * *

 _A/N: Well, I don't speak Italian which means it is all google translate :P_ _If you know Italian and I wrote something which is not right, please tell me so I can correct it. The next chapter will contain some Bella/Jane interactions as requested ;) Thank you for reading my story, and as always your reviews are highly appreciated!_

 _\- Laura_

Translations:

 **Ti prego, smettila!** \- Please stop!

 **mamma** \- mommy


	7. Chapter 7 - Mission

_Within seconds she had the child scooped into her arms and they were on their way. A corner away from their destination Isabella started to wiggle in Sulpicia's arms, indicating she wanted to be put down. When her feet touched the ground she ran around the corner as fast as she could. She had to be on time; she knew things would go extremely wrong if she wasn't._

 _"STOP!" Isabella shouted from the top of her lungs._

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - Mission**

After Sulpicia left the room with Isabella to get the girl some breakfast Marcus let out a long sigh before he turned around to face his brothers and sister. "I have absolutely no idea what is going on," he said as he thought back to the short conversation they just had with the child. "How come when we finally know more about Isabella something happens resulting in the start of another mystery?"

Marcus honestly did not know what to think of all of the events that transpired in the past day. His life had been extremely depressing and above all very monotonous for decades now, but the arrival of Isabella had thrown his entire existence upside down. Even though the king wasn't usually one for change, he could not help but heartily welcome it this time. Isabella had already earned a special place in his heart; thanks to her he felt more alive than he had in a very long time.

The others thought about Marcus's comment for a moment, but they could not find an answer to his question. After a few minutes of silence Athenodora spoke up again. "I think you should all start with the tasks you still need to finish, like Sulpicia suggested. Meanwhile I will get some guards together to arrange the last things Isabella needs," she said as she kissed her mate on his cheek.

"That is an excellent idea, Athenodora. Brothers, why don't we go to my office?" Aro said as he led the others out of Isabella's room, walking towards his usual work spot.

-oOo-

When the three brothers had finally finished the administration work in the office they transferred themselves to the throne room, where they would continue the visits, hearings and trials for the day. Usually this was how they would spend the rest of their time until the beginning of the evening, but now they all wanted to be done as soon as possible so they would be able to meet up with Sulpicia, Athenodora and Isabella.

Their first visitors for the day were two quite young vampires, a mated pair, who had a permanent residence in north-east America. They had come to report a volatile newborn who was roaming around aimlessly, crossing other vampire's territories without consulting while murdering entire households, leaving the bodies for humans to find. The vampire was apparently sire-less but they had not been able to catch him due to a gift of sorts that he seemed to possess. The newborn was not only a threat to the facade of the two vampires, but he also risked exposure of vampire kind, which was why they had come to the Volturi to ask for help. When Aro received all the information he needed the kings thanked the mated pair and let them return home, while ordering Jane, Alec and Santiago to come forward, deciding the trio would be the best combination for this mission.

"Alec, Santiago would you please stay here for a moment? I will tell you the details for this mission," Aro said after he conversed with his brothers for a moment. "And Jane, dear, if you would be so kind to arrange the transport..." Jane nodded respectfully before she turned around and left the throne room.

"Now, it appears that this newborn is extremely fast, which means you will have to make use of your power, Alec, to render him motionless. Make sure he is disposed of carefully, remove any evidence and traces the newborn has left and come back here when you are finished. You should question him about his sire, amongst other things, before killing him, if you are able to do so. I think Jane will be able to get some information from him if he is not very willing to work along," Aro said with a cheerful smile on his face.

Both Santiago and Alec grinned as they listened to the information about their new mission; it had been a while since they last left on an expedition. Because of the ruling of the three kings the number of crimes had slowly decreased through the years. Although it was of course a good sign that less interference was needed, it was extremely boring for the guard members who did currently not have anything 'useful' to do except for keeping track of what was happening in both the supernatural and human world. Any guard member would heartily welcome the opportunity to go on a mission.

"He will not be a problem any longer, masters," Alec said as he bowed and motioned for Santiago to follow him out of the throne room. A guard member opened the wooden door for them and moved to close it again when everyone abruptly froze.

"STOP!" they heard a young voice yell.

The three kings looked at each other with confused expressions before they quickly decided to take a look. As fast as they could they ran towards the shouting, only to be met with the most baffling sight.

Jane, who had been arranging the transport for the latest mission, had her teeth latched to their receptionist's neck, while Isabella was pulling at the blond vampire's cloak with all her might.

"Stop, Jane, you have to stop!" the human girl shouted as she kept trying to pull an extremely feral Jane away from the woman. When Isabella noticed that the three kings had arrived at the scene she quickly twirled around to face them.

"You have to make her stop! Gianna has to change, she can't die. Otherwise it will be bad, really bad!" she said panting, completely exhausted of all the effort she had put in trying to get Jane to let go of Gianna. Isabella had a bad feeling about this entire situation and she knew it would be a serious mistake if they did not do anything. When Aro saw Isabella was distressed he contemplated for a moment on what to do before he quickly took action and stepped forward.

"Jane, leave the human alone," he cautiously ordered. He knew he treaded dangerous ground by doing such a thing; vampires get very territorial about their prey when they let their instincts take over while attacking a human, which was exactly what was happening right now. Luckily Jane regained some sense and when she noticed that her master was telling her to let go of the woman she reluctantly stepped away, extremely confused, but above all _extremely_ angry.

Their latest receptionist had always irritated the blonde to no end; Jane thought she was dumb, not fast enough, irritatingly cheerful - the list went on and on. When Gianna was extremely slow making calls this afternoon, not completely understanding what she had to do, Jane had snapped.

All humans that were employed by the Volturi were in on the secret and they knew they could end up as a meal one day, whether accidentally or by not following orders like they should. It was something that commonly happened, so why on earth was Jane not allowed to follow through with the killing of Gianna? The blond vampire was fuming, although she held enough respect for her kings not to show them too much of her rage.

Meanwhile a little audience had gathered around Isabella, Jane, the three kings and - a currently changing - Gianna. Shocked whispers could be heard; they had never witnessed such a curious happening. When Jane noticed that they were being watched she quickly turned around, fire blazing in her eyes. She did not have any problems with showing the others her anger and after the first screams the guard seemed to get the message and everyone disappeared as fast as they could. When the last of their audience had finally left Jane turned around to face Isabella, who had skipped over to Gianna and was now softly petting the woman's hair as the first screams of pain began.

"Why exactly did I have to stop?" Jane asked coldly as she looked at the kings. When she had gotten fed up with the last receptionist the human had undergone the same fate and no one had complained back then; their human employees were easily replaceable and she did not see why it should be any different this time.

Aro opened his mouth to answer the blond vampire's question, but he quickly closed it again when he realized he actually did not have any idea. Both Marcus and Caius looked at him before the three Volturi kings turned towards Isabella, who was still sitting next to Gianna. "Isabella, dear, would you care to explain this quite... peculiar turn of events?" Aro asked curiously.

Isabella looked up with her big brown eyes as she seemed to think for a moment before she answered.

"I don't quite know how I should explain it, actually."

Jane grew angrier by the moment as she squeezed her eyes and went to say something as the little girl interrupted her. "Although I do know you would have regretted it later if you had continued. Now, someone should take Gianna to a room or something, I don't believe she will be very comfortable on the ground," she said sassily as she looked around. When she spotted Santiago and Alec, who had stayed around when the other guard members left, her face lit up and she motioned them over. "You can take her away! Jane, you should to come with me." With those words Isabella stood up and pulled a fuming Jane along, leaving the three kings stunned in their places.

Meanwhile the blond vampire had jerked her hand away and she was walking behind the little human with an aggravated expression on her face as Isabella was happily skipping towards her room. "Why are you taking me with you?" Jane sneered as she sped up so she was walking next to the girl.

"We have something to do," Isabella answered happily as she reached the door to her room and walked inside. Jane followed, her angry expression faltering slightly when she saw the girl's bedroom. The child took Jane's hand again and this time the vampire did not pull away. Isabella led the blond vampire towards a corner of the room where she seated them both on the ground in front of a huge pink doll house. Jane sat there, stunned, as Isabella began taking out various dolls and pushed one of them into Jane's hands.

"What is the meaning of this?" Jane asked, lacing her voice with anger. But her nervous eyes betrayed her, showing that the vampire was actually just very uncomfortable because of the unpredictable situation she was in. Isabella smiled.

"You'll see."

-oOo-

A few hours later, after the turmoil in the castle had calmed down again, Sulpicia was on her way to Isabella's room to pick up the girl to take her to the kitchen for some dinner. Santiago and Alec had taken care of Gianna, bringing the changing woman to a room on the other side of the castle, far away from the bedroom of the little human. As Sulpicia stood in front of the door she could hear soft sounds; no shouting or angry voices. When the queen opened the door she was met with an adorable sight.

On the ground, in front of the brand new doll house the two girls were seated, playing together. Jane sat opposite of Isabella, legs crossed and looking quite uncomfortable, but not a trace of the anger or malice that was usually displayed on her face could be seen. Isabella herself looked quite content as she was giggling and chattering happily while she played with her doll. A startled expression overtook Sulpicia's face when Jane reacted to the things the young girl was saying, talking in a voice that would be considered sweet knowing how the blond vampire would usually talk. It seemed that the little human could even make one the most angry and feared vampires display her soft side.

Sulpicia smiled softly as she closed the door again, deciding she should return a little later.

* * *

 _A/N: Hey! It has been a while, but here is the seventh chapter :) I read through the first chapters last week and corrected some things, while adding some more details, though nothing of crucial importance to the plot. I will try to write and upload the next chapter in the coming week if I have enough time. Thank you for your reviews, they keep me going! Please make sure to tell me what you think of this chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_


	8. Chapter 8 - Visitors

**Chapter 8 - Visitors**

 _Six months later..._

"Whaaaa!" a young voice yelled as everyone could hear small footsteps approaching the throne room at a fast pace. Afton chuckled when he opened the door just in time for Isabella to run across the doorstep, breathing heavily, closely followed by a grinning Felix.

The three Volturi kings and their mates, who were standing in front of their thrones, turned around to watch as the little girl ran towards them and hid behind Aro. She held on to his cloak, desperately trying to use him as a shield against Felix.

"Help me Uncle Aro!" Isabella squeaked when the big vampire came closer and closer to her hiding spot, his grin growing wider as he slowly walked around the brothers and their wives, trying to catch the girl.

Marcus chuckled and picked the child up from her hiding spot behind his brother, effectively preventing Felix from catching Isabella by her arm. The rest of the guard watched on, mild amusement displayed on their faces while they talked amongst themselves.

The past few months had been the most hectic but also the most exciting months of Marcus' existence. Isabella had brought the Volturi together in a way they had never been before; the vampires did not just act like a coven anymore, they interacted like a family. Isabella had managed to wrap every single member of the guard around her little finger in no time, while also creating an amazingly peaceful and happy atmosphere. Everyone would go out of their way to have the chance to make the girl smile and they absolutely loved teaching her different things; her days were filled with activities like making origami birds and lessons on languages or maths. The guard members did not seem as irritated and bored as they had been the past few years; less and less fights of irritation and boredom had broken out in the past few months since Isabella had come to stay with them.

It was almost eerie, Marcus thought, that one person, who was not even _five_ yet could change them this much in such a short amount of time. But it was as it was; Isabella had won them all over, there was no question there.

No one except for the guard members and their few human employees knew of the existence of Isabella though; it was _extremely_ important they would keep it a secret. They had discussed it several times but they had come to the conclusion again and again that it was simply too much of a risk to tell the rest of the supernatural community that they had a young human girl living with them. When others would know about the child there would be a big chance that Isabella would get caught up in the everlasting battle for power and that was something they wanted to prevent from happening at all costs.

Marcus looked at the young girl in his arms and sighed with a small smile on his face. Time went by so fast, especially now that they had a growing girl in their midst, but there was nothing they could do about it.

"Thank you!" Isabella sang, throwing her arms around Marcus' neck before she turned around and stuck out her tongue at Felix. "You're never gonna get me!"

Felix chuckled before he pouted. "I almost caught you," he grumbled, but his eyes glinstered with mischief. The girl did not fall for his fake sadness and she giggled as she looked back at Marcus and started to play with his necklace. Suddenly she looked up with an excited look on her face. As the guard members saw her expression they all groaned in mock exasperation. Here we go again...

"It's almost my birthday!" Isabella squealed, making the vampires quickly cover their sensitive ears with their hands as they cringed at the high pitched sound. Marcus let out a laugh when the girl looked around in confusion, not understanding why no one was sharing her excitement.

"We know, young one," Marcus said with a smile as he tilted his head sideways. "You have told us about... fifty-three times now, in the past three days."

Isabella sighed before she turned towards Heidi. "Have you planned my party already?" she asked in a soft voice, almost making the beautiful vampire melt in front of her.

"Of course sweetie! Everything is ready, the decorations, balloons and even the presents..." Heidi said mysteriously and she turned around as she disappeared into the hallways.

Isabella squealed once again, leaving the vampires to cover their ears, as she wiggled out of Marcus's arms and ran after Heidi. "Heidi! I wanna know! Please tell me!"

Before Isabella could leave the room Afton quickly caught her and held her in place as she struggled to release herself from his grip. After a full five minutes of trying to get the guard member to let her go she gave up with a sigh and let her body go limp. "Owh, come one! I really wanna know," the girl whined while she looked up at the vampires with her precious chocolate brown eyes. Sulpicia saw Marcus was about to comply and she quickly stepped in as she gave both Isabella and the king a pointed look.

"It's a surprise birthday party, Isabella, you aren't supposed to know," the queen said before she walked forward and put a lock of beautiful brown hair behind the girl's ear. "Why don't you find someone to play with while I make sure everything will be all right."

Isabella sighed but complied and looked around for someone who would want to play with her next. As she was searching with a contemplative expression on her face the doors suddenly opened, revealing Bianca, the new human employee who had replaced Gianna in her position as receptionist. The human awkwardly cleared her throat, obviously not quite comfortable around vampires yet, before she spoke up. "I have Carlisle Cullen on the phone for you, masters. He said you would want to speak with him?"

When Aro heard the name of his friend his face lit up and he clapped his hands excitedly. "Of course, dear Bianca, I would love to speak to Carlisle! Please, come on in."

Bianca walked over to Aro, extremely nervous, as she handed over the phone and bowed before she quickly left the room again.

Caius sighed. "Humans..."

Meanwhile Aro was waving away the other guard members as he brought the phone to his ear. "Carlisle, old friend, I am so delighted you called!"

As Aro was talking Renata was trying to take Isabella with her, out of the room, but for some odd reason the girl struggled against her grip and the vampire was not able to even get her to move a centimetre. When Athenodora saw the guard member struggling she walked over and shook her head at Renata, who slowly let go of the girl's hand when she saw the look she was being given.

"I will make sure he does not hear a thing," Athenodora whispered at vampire speed as she picked up Isabella, who was now smiling triumphantly. She had won yet again! Another victory! Renata sighed but exited the throne room, leaving the three kings, their mates and Isabella on their own to listen to the phone call.

 _"Good morning, Aro, it is good to talk once again. How are you?"_ a voice from the other side of the line said. When Isabella heard who Uncle Aro was talking to she started to bounce in Athenodora's arms and she almost squealed again, only to be stopped as the queen quickly placed a hand over her mouth, effectively blocking out any sounds.

"I am doing just fine, thank you for asking. Tell me, Carlisle, how is your coven doing? Any new additions since our last call? And how is your mate, Esme?" Aro asked as he walked over to the room behind the thrones, motioning for the others to follow him.

 _"Everyone is doing great, and no, there is no one who joined our family,"_ Carlisle said chuckling. _"I know it has not been very long since our last conversation, but we had a last minute request and I was wondering whether you would hear me out."_

Aro's interest piqued at that comment and he sat down on one of the sofas. "I would love to hear your request, my friend. Please, enlighten me," he said while he glanced at Isabella, who had escaped from Athenodora's arms and had come to sit next to him, cuddled up into his arm; her ear as close to the phone as she could get it.

 _"Well, we are currently on vacation in Europe and we were wondering whether you would mind if we visit in a few days? Presently we are in the Netherlands and Italy is not too far away from here. I have wanted to show my family where I spend so much time all those years ago for a while now and I thought this would maybe be a good opportunity to do so. If, of course, you would not mind us coming,"_ they heard Carlisle say.

The Volturi looked at each other with doubt in their eyes when they heard Carlisle's request. Would it be a smart idea to invite another coven to their castle, a coven which would not be there for a hearing or trial? No, it wouldn't; there would be no way they could hide Isabella's scent. The girl loved to roam the hallways and they could smell her all over the castle.

Vampires without knowledge of the young human girl who was in their midst usually only walked through the hallway to the throne room and back, a space in which humans walked often enough to not make Isabella's scent noticeable. They would never be able to explain the human scent in the other rooms, though, and it would most definitely not be considered polite to not allow their guests to go beyond the throne room. Not forgetting to mention the huge surprise party in a few days that the guard had been planning for Isabella's fifth birthday.

"I am sorry, but I am not sure we have time in the next few days, or weeks really," Aro said hesitatingly. "We have an extremely important event coming up and-" Before he could continue his explanation a thought which wasn't his own invaded his mind.

 ** _You should let them come!_ **Aro heard as he looked up in surprise, only to be met with a grinning Isabella. A shocked expression overtook his face; had he just read her mind? Before he could think about it Isabella once more invaded his mind, only to explain to him that he should invite Carlisle and his family because they should come to her birthday party.

Aro looked at the girl with a startled expression, but the determined look on her face said that she meant it. And if it was one thing the Volturi had learned in the past few months it was not to go against anything Isabella asked them to do, since it would somehow always turn out to be the best option. Aro shuddered as he thought about everything that could have gone wrong would Isabella not have been there to help them.

Like that their decision was made and Aro took in a deep breath before he continued to talk. "Actually, you are more than welcome to visit us this week. Please give me a call as soon as you know when you will be coming so we can make some preparations for your visit."

 _"Of course. I look forward to visiting you, Aro. I cannot wait to introduce you to the rest my family,"_ Carlisle said, slightly startled by the sudden turn of events.

"Likewise, Carlisle. It was good hearing from you again. I will see you in a few days." Aro answered before he ended the phone call and turned around to face his brothers and sisters.

"It seems we have some visitors coming our way."

* * *

 _A/N: Hey everyone! And here is where the Cullens enter the story... It took longer than I expected to find the time to write and upload again, but here is chapter 8 :) Thank you to all that read/reviewed/favourited/followed my story! I secretly do a happy dance whenever I get a notification ;P Please leave a review to tell me what you think of this new chapter!_

 _\- Laura_


	9. Chapter 9 - Birthday

_"Of course. I look forward to visiting you, Aro. I cannot wait to introduce you to the rest my family," Carlisle said, slightly startled by the sudden turn of events._

 _"Likewise, Carlisle. It was good hearing from you again. I will see you in a few days." Aro answered before he ended the phone call and turned around to face his brothers and sisters._

 _"It seems we have some visitors coming our way."_

* * *

 **Chapter 9 – Birthday**

The next few days passed in a blur, every single member of the guard was completely focused on the organization of the birthday party they were planning to have for the special little girl in their midst. The almost-birthday girl herself was trying with all her might to find out what her friends were planning, but much to her disappointment they were very good at hiding what they were doing. As the date came closer Isabella became even more energetic and the vampires were starting to have a hard time keeping up with her.

It was on the 12th of September that Aro got a call from Carlisle, who sounded quite troubled much to the king's confusion, announcing that he and his coven would be arriving the following day. The phone conversation seemed to make Isabella happy, though the vampires still did not know why she had been so adamant that the Cullen clan should be present on her birthday. Most of the guard members had never met Carlisle or the other Cullens before, but their quite… unique lifestyle had ignited a lot of different reactions, and most of them were not very positive ones.

This was one of the reasons why the vampires did not quite understand Isabella's request, but they also doubted her judgement because it would result in the Cullens gaining knowledge of the girl's existence. Isabella had been explained why they would not tell others about her and she had told them she understood, though she now seemed to contradict her proclamation. When the vampires had questioned her decision she had merely shrugged and told them they would know why when the Cullen clan arrived.

-oOo-

On the 13th of September Isabella awoke as she felt a ray of sunlight hit her face. The girl sat up in her bed and yawned while she stretched her arms. There was something about today, she was sure of it; but what was it? Isabella rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked up. She froze when she noticed all the balloons in her room. Of course, it was her birthday!

Isabella squealed in excitement and she climbed out of bed as fast as she could after which she ran towards the door and opened it. Heidi, Renata and Felix were waiting for her in the hallway; they smiled as they saw the excited girl appear in the doorway. Felix quickly rushed over to pick up Isabella and he spun her around, making her giggle and squeal, before he put her back down on the ground. "Happy birthday Bella! How does it feel to finally be five?"

"It feels good! I'm a big girl now!" Isabella said happily as she looked around. The other vampires chuckled at her answer before they too wished Isabella a happy birthday.

Sulpicia came walking around the corner with a big smile; Isabella's face lit up as she ran towards one of her favourite aunts and hugged her.

"Good morning sweetheart! We are all waiting for you in the throne room, we cannot wait to start this party," the queen said. "Come on; let's go get you dressed so you can have some breakfast before we celebrate your birthday."

Isabella sighed but obliged her aunt's order as she walked back into her room to put on her birthday outfit. She had chosen it yesterday together with Heidi; after a while of contemplating they had settled on a pretty denim and pink dress with matching flats. After she put on her dress she brushed her teeth in the bathroom before she walked to the kitchen together with Renata, who had been asked to make sure the girl would _actually_ go and have breakfast instead of secretly sneaking to the throne room first.

When Isabella entered the kitchen she was quickly greeted with a big hug from her good friend Antonio. Antonio was the cook who had been hired not long after it became clear that the girl would be staying at the castle for quite some time. He was a very friendly old man who was a grandfather to five grown grandchildren and he absolutely loved fussing over the happy little girl. Antonio was an amazing cook as well and he had years of experience; after a while of searching he had been chosen to become the personal chef for the child.

Isabella had quickly taken a liking to the old man and the feeling was mutual: the two loved to joke around together, making mealtime one of the girl's favourite times of the day.

"Buon compleanno!" Antonio said as he took in Isabella's attire. "You look absolutely wonderful, piccola."

"I am not little!" Isabella protested, giving Antonio an offended look as she took his hand and pulled him along towards the kitchen island. "I am five now, I am a big girl!"

The old chef chuckled as he walked with the child. "Of course, how could I forget that? Please, forgive me. What do you think of some chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast, principessa?"

Isabella's face lit up at the mentioning of pancakes and she quickly climbed on the chair in front of the cooking island. "I would love to have pancakes!"

The girl hummed a happy tune while Antonio prepared her breakfast and within a few minutes a plate with heavenly smelling chocolate chip pancakes was placed in front of her. Isabella quickly dug in with an excited expression on her face.

"Thank you, Antonio! You're the best," she said happily with a mouth full of pancake.

The cook sat down opposite of Isabella, smiling at the child's antics and he watched as she devoured her breakfast. "I am very glad you like it."

When Isabella finished her breakfast she was about to jump of her chair as Antonio stopped her. The girl looked up at her old friend with a questioning look while he grabbed a nicely wrapped box from the countertop behind him.

"I could of course not let this special day go by without buying you a present," Antonio said kindly with a smile as he handed the excited girl the gift. Isabella thanked him profusely after which she carefully ripped the wrapping of the box, revealing a beautiful drawing set. Before the chef could even blink the girl was standing next to him, giving him a big hug

"I love it, I love it!" Isabella said with a huge smile on her face. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome, principessa," Antonio said as he hugged the girl back. "Now I think you should go with your aunt, I believe it is time for you to celebrate your birthday. Buono giornata!"

Isabella turned around to see Athenodora standing in the doorway. The queen was tapping her foot impatiently; she chuckled when she saw the girl had finally noticed her. "Are you coming with me?"

The five-year-old girl smiled and walked over to the kitchen island to carefully pick up her new drawing set before she waved Antonio goodbye and exited the kitchen, following Athenodora.

Isabella happily skipped forward through the hallways, stopping in front of the door of the throne room while she looked up at her aunt. "Go ahead," Athenodora said as she nodded to the door. The girl wasted no more time and she pushed the handle, opening the door and revealing the room behind it.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" everyone sang to Isabella, who was looking around with wide eyes and a happy smile on her face as she took in all she saw.

The entire throne room had been transformed into one big party hall; the walls were decorated with hundreds of balloons and lanterns in every colour of the rainbow. Bright fairy lights were strung along the sides of the windows, everywhere Isabella looked hung streamers and the floor was covered in confetti. A red carpet lay on the ground, leading towards the middle of the room where there was a huge table filled with what must be almost a hundred presents in all shapes and sizes.

Isabella squealed happily before she skipped forward towards Marcus, Aro, Caius and Sulpicia who were standing next to the table. When she arrived she gave them all a big hug before her eyes travelled not-so-inconspicuously towards the pile of presents. Marcus chuckled before he stepped forward and picked the first present which he handed to Isabella.

"Happy birthday, little one," he said as he gave the girl an encouraging look. "This is one of my presents for you."

Without hesitating Isabella ripped the wrapping paper revealing a colouring book. "Thank you, Marcus!" the girl said excitedly as she carefully opened the book and looked at the beautiful pictures. "These are so pretty!"

Next up was Sulpicia who gave Isabella a flat envelope. The girl looked at it in confusion before she opened it. When she read what the card said she squealed and did a happy dance. "Tickets to the zoo! We're going to the zoo!"

After Isabella had thanked her adopted aunt the next gift was handed to her. She spent the next few hours unwrapping her presents, everyone in the castle had bought something for the girl; they had truly gone all out. Isabella was spoiled rotten and she loved every moment of it, though she made sure to thank everyone for their gifts.

-oOo-

When Isabella had finished unwrapping all her presents Marcus took the girl to the kitchen, where Antonio cooked her some lunch. As the old chef was cooking Isabella told him all about her party and the different presents she had gotten.

"I even got a real bike! Felix said he would teach me how to cycle," the girl said happily as she bounced on her chair. "And Heidi said we could play dress up soon!"

Antonio chuckled as he handed Isabella a plate with her lunch. "It sounds like you had a lot of fun this morning, principessa."

"I did," Isabella said as she stuffed her mouth with her sandwich. "There were balloons and confetti everywhere! And we are going to play games this afternoon."

"I am sure you will have a good time with your friends," the old cook said as he took away Isabella's empty plate with a smile on his face. "You should go and continue your party now, piccola, I will clean up here. Have fun!"

"I'm _not_ little!" Isabella called before she exited the kitchen with Marcus, who had been watching the interaction between the girl and the chef with amusement.

The king chuckled as he took the little girl's hand and lead her towards her room, where she could pick up her jacket. They would be continuing the celebration outside in the castle's gardens; the weather was very nice and it was a place where they would be sheltered from human eyes and ears.

Just when they arrived at the bedroom Isabella suddenly stood still, confusing Marcus, who did not quite understand what had made the child stop. The girl let out a small squeal before she turned around with an excited look on her face.

"They are here!"

* * *

 _A/N: Heeeey! How are y'all doing? I have one week off right now, which means I have lots of time to write! Or, more likely, I will tell myself I have time to write and I will somehow end up watching youtube videos for hours ;P I'll most likely upload again within the next week: in the next chapter the Cullens are arriving! Thank you to all readers, reviewers, followers and favouriters for reading and reacting to my story! Please make sure to tell me what you think of this new chapter, I would love to hear your opinions :)_

 _\- Laura_

Translations: 

**Buon compleanno!** \- Happy birthday! 

**principessa** \- princess 

**piccola** \- little one 

**Buono giornata!** \- Have a nice day!


	10. Chapter 10 - Child

_Just when they arrived at the bedroom Isabella suddenly stood still, confusing Marcus, who did not understand what had made the child stop. When the king wanted to ask what was wrong the girl let out a small squeal before she turned around with an excited look on her face._

 _"They are here!"_

* * *

 **Chapter 10 - Child**

With these words Isabella started skipping away from her bedroom, leaving a stunned Marcus behind. When the girl was at the corner and she noticed no one was following her she looked over her shoulder.

"Are you coming?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side.

Marcus quickly shook his head, as if to shake away his thoughts before he smiled. The king sped over to Isabella at vampire speed, appearing at her side in less than a second, though it did not faze the girl at all.

It was one of those things that they, again, did not quite understand about the child; usually humans at least jumped a bit, or their heart beat would accelerate when they witnessed the quick movement of the vampires. Isabella appeared to be an exception to that rule, as well as to many others, which was something they had found out in the months that the girl had lived in Volterra.

The three kings and their mates had had quite some discussions about Isabella at night when she was asleep in her bedroom; they had tried to figure out why her behaviour was so different from others. The kings had re-read all books they owned on human behaviour, child development while the queens had even read their unique copies of books about the different supernatural races.

It had taken them weeks, but they still did not have any idea why Isabella behaved like she did; there were, not surprisingly, no books on happy little children who seemed to know things they could have never known all while at the same time defeating on of the most gifted person. Neither was there any information on children who were able to unite an entire guard within weeks or humans who could not be confounded by anything related to the supernatural. The only thing they had concluded was that Isabella must be some kind of clairvoyant, and if not she at least had some great instincts, but they were not able to explain the other happenings.

The Volturi had briefly considered Isabella to be a human-vampire hybrid, but they dismissed this idea when they noted the girl grew at normal human rate and her heartbeat and temperature were what would be considered normal for a human. They had also noticed during one of the many games of tag with Felix that the girl did not nearly run fast enough to be a hybrid, which only confirmed that this was not an option.

Now the kings and queens still came up blank; they had no idea what made this special child act so differently or what it was in her that attracted others towards her. They had found out that other than her sometimes unusual behaviour Isabella behaved like any other child her age would. In the end they had come the conclusion that she must be an extraordinarily gifted human who they would maybe never be able to fully understand.

Isabella took Marcus's hand as they walked through the hallways together. The girl was skipping forward happily, not even pausing to admire the paintings on the walls and the statues like she usually did. As they approached the throne room the king stopped and turned towards Isabella. "Are you still sure this is the wisest thing to do?"

The girl chuckled and sighed in exasperation. "Yes, I'm _sure._ I _know_ it will be all right.

Marcus nodded once before they walked the last few feet towards the throne room. At Isabella's indication a guard hesitantly opened the door and the king and the girl entered the room.

Right in front of the three thrones was a group of seven vampires, who all turned around when they heard the doors open. Shocked expressions quickly appeared on their faces when they saw Marcus and a little girl walking into the throne room; this was not at all what they had expected to find when they had decided to visit Volterra.

A beautiful vampire with long, wavy caramel-coloured hair gasped and grabbed her mate's arm when she noticed the precious girl next to one of the most powerful leaders in their world. What on earth had transpired for this tiny human to end up here, in the castle of the Volturi?

"What on earth?" the tall blond woman uttered silently with wide eyes as she too clung to her husband. Her mate was stunned to silence, which was not something that happened very often. The bronze-haired vampire next to them seemed to be concentrating very hard on something; Isabella secretly thought that he looked quite funny like that, with his face all scrunched up. Lastly the small pixie-like woman looked confused and elated at the same time while the man at her side was watching the child with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Hi!" the little girl said as she skipped forward. "I'm Isabella!"

Isabella's words broke the vampire family out of their stupor and the women quickly plastered a smile on their faces, while their leader stepped forward. "It's nice to meet you, Isabella. I'm Carlisle and this-"

"- is Esme." Isabella finished. "And Rosalie, Emmett, Edward, Jasper and Alice. I'm so glad you're finally here! You kept me waiting long enough."

Alice's eyes widened and she squeezed Jasper's arm.

"How did this happen?" she whispered as she shook her head. "Hoe could I not have seen this?"

Just when everyone turned towards the vampire couple a phone rang. Jasper cursed as he took his phone out of his pocket, looking quite embarrassed and angry.

"That little fucker, I swear..." He trailed off when he saw the pointed look on Esme's face. The vampire glanced at the girl who was watching the events unfold with an innocent look on her face, though her emotions betrayed that she was very amused.

Jasper sighed and went to click away the caller when Isabella shot forward. "No, you should answer that!"

Confused the tall vampire stopped, while his phone continued to ring. He just decided that he was going to ignore the girl's advice when Marcus interrupted. "Please take the call; I gather this will be important to you."

Though Jasper was thoroughly confused he decided it was better to follow the king's advice and he begrudgingly answered the phone. "What do you want?"

 _"Well, aren't that the most heartfelt words of welcome I've ever received! Good afternoon to you too! How're you doing brother of mine?"_ the voice on the other side of the line said with a Southern drawl.

"Get to the point you-" Jasper shut his mouth when he saw Esme's look. "-never mind. Why did you call? You knew I would not be able to get in touch with you for the next couple of days."

 _"Always so happy to hear from me, I wouldn't have expected any less."_ the voice said. _"Since you asked so nicely I'll tell you the reason of my call; you have to know you should listen to the girl, she's important. Now that we're speaking about her, how about you give this phone to the little one there, I'm sure she is bouncing and waiting for you to finally shut up and hand her the damn phone."_

Everyone turned around and sure enough Isabella was jumping up and down, barely containing her excitement. Jasper hesitated for a moment, still confused, but he was used to his brother's antics and he held the phone out to the girl. Isabella looked at it for a second before she carefully took it, held it to her ear and squealed. "Petey! You finally called!"

Peter groaned and chuckled before he replied. _"What did I say about squealing into my ear? I'm nearly deaf because of your happy sounds Bells, you should watch out!"_

A slightly guilty expression appeared on Isabella's face. "I'm sorry, won't happen again!"

 _"It's alright, darling, I get you're happy; who wouldn't be when they get a call from me?"_

Jasper groaned.

 _"Anyway, happy birthday! I'm sorry I couldn't come to your party."_

"It's quite alright, I'm having a good time and now I still have guests! We were just heading to the gardens to play tag when they arrived, maybe they want to come too now they are here?"

 _"I'm sure they would love that. Now tell me, any new hints to our great friend who got us into all of this trouble?"_ Peter asked.

"Nope," Isabella answered. "But it's better now the Cullen family is here. You were right about me being safer here, but I know it won't be too long until..."

 _"I know Bells, and I will come to you as soon as I'm needed, but Char and I are not on particularly good terms with the vamp royalties. We had a little quarrel with the twins some decades ago and we do not wish to repeat that encounter, so we will wait for a little while longer."_

"But they're not even here right now," the girl mumbled before she sighed. "It's all right though, I get it. Now I'm going to play in the garden with my new friends, see you later!"

 _"Bye bye, Bells!"_ Peter said before Isabella ended the call and handed the phone back to Jasper.

"You know Peter Whitlock?" Aro asked as he walked over to the little girl. " _How_?"

Isabella looked at the king before she smiled wistfully. "He sent me here after he helped me when someone thought I would be a nice afternoon snack. Or pet." she said. "But who wants to go and play some games? And I want to try out my new bike too!"

-oOo-

"You're it, Emmett!" Isabella shouted as she ran away from the burly vampire as quick as she could. Emmett grinned as he sprinted after the girl and into the big garden, pretending it took him quite some effort to do so. When he caught up with Isabella he snatched her from the ground and he spun her around as she squealed.

"Gotcha!" Emmett said grinning and placed the little girl on the grass, quickly steadying her as she wobbled and almost fell over. When Isabella regained her balance she slowly turned towards the grinning vampire as she sent him an - almost evil-looking - smirk that Marcus could have sworn she learnt from Jane, before the girl sprinted away again. "Hey!" Emmett shouted as he followed Isabella. "Not fair!"

The kings, their mates and the rest of the Cullen family were watching with amusement as the game of tag went on and on, laughing as it turned into a tickle fight not long after.

When they had finished the introductions the Cullens had reluctantly followed Isabella and the Volturi royal family outside to the garden after the girl had asked them to come and play with her. As Emmett had quickly agreed to a game of tag the others had sat down on the benches and a heated discussion had started, in which mostly Rosalie and Edward were whispering furiously. Carlisle tried to calm the both of them down, trying to avoid attracting the attention of the kings and queens, who were sitting on a wooden bench on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"A child!? Are they crazy!?" Rosalie hissed as she watched her husband running around with Isabella. "She should not be here, hell she should not even know vampires exist! By taking her in they immediately took away all her chances at a normal human life!"

Carlisle glanced over at the other side of the grass field where the three kings and their mates were seated. It had been decades since he had last seen them and he had been waiting for a chance to catch up with them for a while now, but he had never quite found the right time to do so. The Cullens had not actually planned this visit, it had been a split second decision; their original plan had been to just travel around in Europe for a bit before they would return to the United States where they would settle down in a new town. But when they had arrived in the Netherlands, where they had travelled to from England, Alice had panicked.

The pixie occasionally looked into the future of the Volturi to see how they were doing and what they were up to. In her opinion it would be good to know if the power had gotten into their heads again and they were planning a war, or if they needed help from one of the Cullens. Carlisle had not agreed with her methods, as he knew his friends well enough to know they would never do such a thing again. Jasper also was not too keen on his wife keeping an eye on the Volturi's future, but it gave her a sense of security so he went with it. Alice was his main source of happiness and he just accepted the parts of her character that came with it.

Alice had been searching for the future of the Volturi family when she came upon a blank spot; she could still see Sulpicia's decision on what to wear that day and Aro's decision to send a few guards to the safe house to check up on Jane, Alec and his newly found mate who was currently a newborn in training. But after that the future turned up blank, she could not see anything that was happening and it worried her immensely, as nothing like that had happened before. The Cullens had talked about it and they had quickly come to the conclusion that they would have to visit Volterra and see for themselves what was transpiring.

And here they were, at the Volturi castle, watching a little five-year old girl called Isabella interacting with every single vampire as if they were all her best friends. The strange thing was that everyone reacted very well to her, even the guards Carlisle had seen behaving recklessly and violently when he lived with the Volturi seemed to be content and happy; it was quite a sight.

"I know she is only a child, Rosalie," Carlisle said softly. "I too wish she did not have to be familiar with the supernatural world, especially at this age. But from what they told us and what we heard Peter say she is significant and, even more important: she is in danger. Wouldn't you do everything to keep a child safe?"

"I get that, Carlisle, I really do," Rosalie answered as she ran a hand through her hair. "But how on earth did this girl get caught up in this supernatural mess? I also don't get why they did not search for a different solution instead of immediately deciding to take Isabella in and including her in the secret by doing so."

Her words left Carlisle thinking and he turned back to face the small grass field. He watched as Emmett and Isabella came walking closer, they seemed to have quit their game.

"That was fun Bella!" Emmett grinned as he carefully gave the girl a high five. The vampire sat down on the wooden bench next to his mate and pretended to wipe sweat of his forehead

"I know right!" Isabella said happily. "And I totally won."

"Sure thing, small stuff. You were so fast! Are you even human?" Emmett asked jokingly. Isabella looked at him with an offended expression on her face.

"No, I'm not!"

* * *

 _A/N: Bwahahaha I'm evil, I know ;P No, I'm just kidding; I'm actually generally a very nice person. Most of the time. Anyway, thank you for reading my story, I really appreciate it! I'll upload again some time next week, I'll write as soon as I can. P_ _lease make sure to tell me what you think of this new chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_


	11. Chapter 11 - Bracelet

_"That was fun Bella!" Emmett grinned as he carefully gave the girl a high five. The vampire sat down on the wooden bench next to his mate and pretended to wipe sweat of his forehead_

 _"I know right!" Isabella said happily. "And I totally won."_

 _"Sure thing, small stuff. You were so fast! Are you even human?" Emmett asked jokingly. Isabella looked at him with an offended expression on her face._

 _"No, I'm not!"_

* * *

 **Chapter 11 - Bracelet**

It was so utterly quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Several times someone opened their mouth, only to close it again when they realized they had _no_ idea what they were supposed to say or do now. The silence stretched out for quite a few minutes, Isabella watching the others with a confused look on her face. Why was everyone suddenly so quiet?

"So you're not human..." Athenodora said slowly. The queen was normally not easily fazed, but she was as surprised and startled as the others right now. This was not something she had expected to happen _at all_.

"Who isn't human?" a voice suddenly said.

Everyone quickly turned around to see the new arrival. At the gateway to the garden stood a tall vampire with golden eyes and short black hair. Isabella gasped before she ran towards the man, a smile appearing on her face,

"Eleazar, you're here!" Isabella squealed as the vampire picked her up and spun her around.

"Bella, dear, it is good to see you! You have grown a lot since I last saw you," Eleazar said as he looked over the girl, chuckling as she gave him a big hug. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm good! I had a lot of fun, I got tons of presents, we played games and I met some new people," the girl answered as Eleazar put her back on the grass.

"It sounds like you had a busy day, then," the black-haired vampire said. "I'm glad you are all right, we have been trying to contact you for a while now."

"Why didn't you come earlier? I thought uncle Aro called you a few months ago?" Isabella asked as she glanced over at the three kings who were all trying to make sense of what was happening.

Aro looked quite startled and a slightly guilty expression appeared on his face. The king _had_ in fact tried to contact Eleazar about a week after the girl had arrived at the castle; he had desperately wanted to find an answer as to what made Isabella so special and if she maybe had a gift, but he had not told anyone he had contacted his old friend. Aro hadn't wanted to seem as curious as he actually was, though he should have expected Isabella would have found out about his call one way or another. The girl somehow _always_ knew what he had done.

"Uhm, well," Eleazar said, looking quite uncomfortable as he studied the ring on his left hand. "I was not present when Aro called; I was... away, on a city trip."

"You went on a city trip?" Emmett asked confused. "But when Carlisle called Tanya said you and Carmen were-" Before he could finish his sentence Rosalie had slapped him on the back of his head. "Emmett!" she hissed as she threw a pointed a look at Isabella, who was watching the conversation with way too much interest for her own good.

"Ouch! Sorry Rose," the big burly vampire mumbled as he rubbed his head. "I meant, of course you went on a city trip! I bet you had fun there, in all the cities, with just the two-" This time he was silenced by Esme, who was glaring at him intensely.

Eleazar quickly decided to act before the situation got out of hand. "But I'm here now, at least. I even brought you a present," he said as he reached inside of his pocket. Isabella's eyes lit up and she started to bounce excitedly. When she saw the jewellery box Eleazar had brought she gasped. "You found it?" she whispered with wide eyes.

Eleazar nodded. "It took us some time; Kate actually only found it a week ago when she went hunting with Garrett. I visited both Renée's and Charlie's houses, they both said you did not live with them anymore, so I decided to take it with me when I went travelling."

"Thank you so much," Isabella said as she let Eleazar clasp the bracelet around her wrist before she slid her jacket back down. "Please thank Kate and Garrett for me too?"

"Of course," the man said as he smiled softly at the happy child.

As usual Aro's curiosity got the best of him and he stepped forward. "How come you two know each other, if I may ask?" he asked as he tilted his head sideways to study the girl and vampire.

Isabella looked at the ground, shuffling her feet. Eleazar chuckled softly and petted the girl on her head before he answered. "A year ago, or maybe a year and a half, Carmen and I were on our way to find a place where we could hunt when we heard soft cries. We were very curious, and also slightly worried, so we followed the sound and it let us to this little one," he said as he looked at the girl next to him, who had decided the grass was very interesting.

"The poor child was wearing nothing but a summer dress and some sandals; she was freezing cold. We wanted to help her, though I was afraid she would shy away from us. But instead when she saw us coming closer she stopped crying and she reached out to us. On Carlisle's advice we took Bella to the nearest hospital where the doctors diagnosed her as almost severely hypothermic. Luckily it wasn't too late for treatment and they were able to get her temperature up again in time."

Everyone was listening to Eleazar's story with interest and when he was finished Carlisle nodded understandingly. "Now I finally get what you were talking about that day," he mumbled. "I could not really make sense of the story you told me at the time."

Eleazar smiled. "Well, we were confused too; it isn't every day that you find an unknown child wearing summer clothes sitting in the snow next to a tree. We still don't know how she ended up in the middle of nowhere without leaving a trace anywhere," he said as he looked at Isabella. "And Bella doesn't want to tell us."

"Now that you have arrived, would you mind helping us out?" Aro asked. "I asked you to come because, well, we haven't quite been able to figure out what exactly our dear Isabella can do."

"Of course I will help you," Eleazar answered as he turned towards Isabella.

"I have quickly 'read' Bella before, since it is kind of a habit of mine. Although it is harder to figure out a human's power-" he started before he stopped himself. "-or, well any non-vampire's actually, I am generally able to give a complete and detailed analysis if I have the time to do so. But I will only try to do such a thing if Bella agrees with it."

Aro looked at Isabella who seemed to be deep in thought. After a few minutes the girl looked up.

"Alright," she said with a determined expression on her face. "I would like to know. But can we go and have dinner after? I'm quite hungry and Antonio said he would make me a special birthday dinner today."

"I think that is an excellent idea," Sulpicia said. "Do what you do, Eleazar."

Eleazar knelt down in front of Isabella and he looked her in the eye before he carefully placed his hands on either side of her head. He closed his eyes before he actively started to analyze the girl and what exactly her potential was.

Eleazar's power was a special one; by concentrating on a person he was able to find out if someone was gifted and what exactly that gift was _or_ he could tell if someone had a _chance_ of becoming gifted when he or she was turned into a vampire. His gift made him a powerful man; after knowing what someone's power was it was not a very big step to figuring out the weaknesses and strengths of that person, which gave Eleazar a major advantage in fights as he could focus on the weak points of other's gifts. It also meant he could help others improve their gift and techniques if he wished to do so; this way he had already helped a big part of the Volturi guard to improve both their gifts and fighting skills. Next to helping them to strengthen their powers Eleazar had taught them how to fight without completely depending on their own gifts. Using your gift to fight could give you an advantage, but you never knew if there was maybe someone out there who could defy your power and thus it was a smart idea to learn how to fight without it as well.

While Eleazar was actively using his gift it was utterly quiet; no one dared to move in fear of breaking his concentration. Isabella stared at his face intensely for minutes before a smile broke through.

The vampire slowly opened his eyes as his concentrated expression turned into one of wonder. "You are quite a special girl indeed, dear Bella."

"What is it?" Marcus asked, glancing at Isabella who was back at staring at the grass, though the girl was now also blushing furiously because of Eleazar's comment.

"She possesses not one, but two gifts, it seems," Eleazar mused. "Although one of them could be classified as simply a characteristic or enhanced quality."

"Would you please share with us what these gifts are?" Aro asked, now even more curious than he was before.

"Bella already possesses and makes use of her very powerful sixth sense, though she does so unconsciously and not all the time," Eleazar explained.

"She has visions of the future?" Alice asked with wide eyes. The small vampire had never encountered someone with an ability like hers; she had assumed she was the only one.

"No I don't," Isabella answered for herself.

"Bella is right, her sixth sense is present like yours, but she receives information, not pictures," Eleazar explained. "The information _could_ develop into visions if she would change into a vampire, though I can't be certain. After all, no talent ever manifests in precisely the same way, because no one ever thinks in exactly the same way."

"What about her second gift?" Sulpicia asked as she walked forward to hold her mate's hand, seeking his touch.

"Well, as I said I am not quite sure whether I should call it a second gift or simply a characteristic, since it is practically unheard of for someone to have two gifts," Eleazar said hesitatingly. "But next to her sixth sense Isabella also has the ability to easily bring joy and happiness to not only herself, but also to those around her."

It was quiet for a few seconds before Marcus let out a strangled sob and quickly disappeared from the gardens into the castle. Isabella looked after him with a sad expression on her face as she sighed.

"He just needs a moment," Sulpicia whispered, walking towards the girl and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "He has lived for a long time and he was not always as happy as he usually is now. He has been through a lot."

"It's all right, I understand," Isabella answered, smiling softly. "Can we go to the kitchen now? I'm hungry."

"Of course," Sulpicia said as she straightened out the girl's dress. "I'm sure some of your new friends will want to come and meet Antonio."

Isabella's face lit up and she turned around. "Who would like to come with me?"

-oOo-

"Then Emmett and I played tag," Isabella told Antonio while she motioned animatedly with her hands before she took another bite of her delicious homemade pizza. "I won."

"It sound like you had a nice afternoon, principessa," the chef said, chuckling at the child's antics as he moved through the kitchen.

"It was amazing! I want a party like this next year too," Isabella said dreamily. "And I want to eat pizza every day! You're the best cook ever, Antonio!"

"Thank you, piccola, I'm glad you enjoy my cooking," Antonio said as he turned around again to put away the remaining ingredients. The old man was very fond of the happy little girl; she had won over his heart long ago. He was glad he could take care of her in a way, as he had noticed Isabella did not have any parents next to Charlie and Renée who had taken care of her before she arrived at the castle. Antonio was a very kind man with a big heart and he truly enjoyed spending time with the girl; he always looked forward to his next encounter with her.

At the dining table in front of the window Emmett, Rosalie, Edward and Esme were seated. Both Alice and Jasper had decided to stay in the gardens for some time while Carlisle had wanted the chance to finally catch up with his old friends. When the vampires had entered the kitchen Antonio had looked at them curiously for a moment before he had greeted them politely and continued cooking Isabella's dinner.

The girl was seated at the kitchen island, on the opposite side of the sink where Antonio was busy cleaning the pans. Slowly Isabella turned around, looking at her new friends, who were all watching her with amused expressions on their faces, waiting for what was coming next.

"Want to try some?" Isabella asked Emmett sweetly with a challenging look in her eyes as she held up a slice of pizza. The burly vampire narrowed his eyes and was about to accept the challenge when Esme interjected.

"Don't you remember the last time you thought it was a good idea to eat human food?" she said, her eyebrows raised.

Emmett's expression quickly changed to one of disgust as he thought back to the bet he had made with Edward a few decades ago. When Emmett had been whining about missing human food Edward had gotten fed up and the mind reader had dared the burly vampire to eat some. Not one to say no to a challenge Emmett had accepted the dare. As could have been expected it did not turn out very well; he had not been able to get the disgusting taste out of his mouth for a solid week and in addition to that Rosalie had refused to kiss him. The memory of that dare was now forever ingrained into his brain.

"Nah, thanks for the offer though," he answered, looking quite traumatized. Isabella shrugged and turned back around, taking another bite of her pizza as she started to hum a happy tune. When she had finished her dinner Antonio took away the plate and put it in the sink. Isabella was about to hop of the stool to join the others at the dining table when the chef motioned for her to stay seated. The girl looked at him curiously as he disappeared into the huge pantry. Not much later Antonio entered the kitchen again, now carefully holding a beautiful small chocolate ice-cream cake with five pink candles on top.

"I know you already had cake this afternoon, but I thought it could not hurt to have some more," the chef said as he placed the cake in front of the little girl who was bouncing on her stool. "Make a wish!"

"Thank you so much, Antonio," Isabella said excitedly as she gave the man a thankful smile before she turned towards the cake. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath and made a wish before she carefully blew out the candles all at once.

After Isabella had eaten a piece of the cake Antonio put away the rest, promising she could have some more tomorrow. "If you eat more now you won't be able to sleep because of all the sugar, principessa," the chef said when the girl pouted as he closed the freezer. "You should rest well tonight so you will have enough energy to play with you friends tomorrow."

"Exactly," a voice sounded from the doorway. Isabella turned around and smiled when she saw Marcus stepping into the kitchen.

"Come with me, little one, we should get you ready to go to bed," the king said as he held out his hand.

Isabella climbed of the stool as said goodbye to Antonio and her new vampire friends before she walked over to Marcus. When the girl reached out her arm to place her hand in his, the sleeve of her jacket rose up slightly, exposing her wrist.

Marcus gasped loudly as he stared with wide eyes at the bracelet Isabella was wearing.

 _"Didyme..."_ he whispered.

* * *

 _A/N: And then the cat was out of the bag..._ _Eleazar finally made an appearance! To be honest I had an idea for him to enter the story but then Jane happened, and well, I kinda forgot about poor Eleazar. But, as an apology I sent him on a six month long err... 'city trip' and now he has arrived. Hopefully he can clear up some confusion :)_

 _Our lovely Jane will come back soon; but she is currently helping to train a newborn,_ _though she will most certainly want time off training duty soon... I will adress the non-human thing in the next chapter, so don't worry about that ;)_

 _Thank you for your lovely reviews, follows and favourites_ _; they make me happy! Please tell me what you think of this chapter :) Lots of love!_

 _\- Laura_


	12. Chapter 12 - Revelations

_Isabella climbed of the stool and said goodbye to Antonio and her new vampire friends before she walked over to Marcus. As the girl reached out her arm to place her hand in his, the sleeve of her jacket rose up slightly, exposing her wrist._

 _Marcus gasped loudly as he stared with wide eyes at the bracelet Isabella was wearing._

 _"Didyme..." he whispered._

* * *

 **Chapter 12 - Revelations**

The old king carefully took Isabella's wrist in his hand as he knelt down, breathing slowly, desperately trying not to panic. The girl herself kept quiet as she allowed him to take a closer look at the bracelet she was wearing.

As Marcus was deep in thought Aro, Caius, Sulpicia and Athenodora entered the kitchen; they had come to tell the Cullens that Carlisle was reading in the library, waiting for his coven. When they saw their brother they immediately noticed that the mask he usually wore to hide all of his pain was _gone_ ; for the first time in thousands of years the emotions he displayed were pure.

 _"How?"_ Marcus whispered softly as he looked up at Isabella, emotions flying across his face.

Isabella smiled timidly before she quietly answered. "She loved you very much."

As the walls he had built to protect himself from reality crumbled the old king broke down. He let the girl's wrist go and he slowly lowered himself to the ground. Isabella took another step towards Marcus before she got on her knees and sat down next to him. She reached out and embraced the king with her little arms and carefully put her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes.

The others in the kitchen were watching the scene unfold with startled expressions on their faces. They did not understand what exactly had happened to cause the normally stoic Marcus to break down all of a sudden. They _did_ know it was Isabella who had brought all those feelings back out, though they did not know whether they it would turn out to be a good or bad thing.

The girl took a deep breath before she started talking.

"It was a dark night," Isabella whispered. "It was pitch black outside as the evening came, but she wanted to go outside and be amongst the people in the city."

 _They liked her, the strange beautiful woman who they rarely saw, there was something about her that made them feel happy. Sometimes she helped them; she had already saved several women from vicious men in the dark corners of the city and brought lost children back to their mothers._

 _But something was different this night, she could feel it; the atmosphere was bleak and cold. The streets were completely empty and not a sound could be heard as she walked past the dark houses. She wanted to know what was wrong, so she kept walking until she reached the outskirts of town, still not having spotted a single person._

"It was that moment he took his chance and attacked."

"What?" Athenodora whispered startled, eyes wide.

"Who?" Marcus asked, his voice choking with emotion as he lifted his head slightly to look at the girl, who seemed to be far off in her thoughts.

"A vampire, one of the originals. He had been alive for thousands of years and through his life he had probably already encountered every mythical creature," Isabella answered absently. "Some of those creatures still exist today, but most have been extinct since long before your ancestors were born."

 _The vampire used to have a brother; they both were fascinated by mythical creatures, but above they were obsessed with power. Since the brothers were both originals they did not hold any respect for anyone; they saw themselves as the highest race, the top of the food chain. They did not care if they killed others in the process of finding out what race they were and what their powers could do. Even the gentlest and friendliest creatures became victims of the malicious brothers and many of their extinctions were caused through their curiosity and research._

 _The two ancients were extremely power-hungry; they would do absolutely anything to become the most powerful beings in existence. They dreamed of being served as gods, the creatures they saw as less than themselves bowing for them while doing anything they wished for. The brothers dreamed of punishing and killing anyone who did not obey them, they dreamed of taking all power to themselves and being feared by everyone._

 _The eldest of the two brothers was a gifted vampire; he could either copy or take someone else's power or gift. It was not something he could just do without any consequences. Either the person or creature had to give him permission to do so or he had to forcefully drain it. The last option would most often lead to the death of that creature, as most lived partly or even completely on the power they possessed._

 _The gifted vampire did not have any problem with killing and through the years his powers expanded enormously as he took the power and gifts of everyone he encountered. He was well on his way to becoming the most powerful being in existence and he was already planning ways in which he could kill his companion, who stupidly thought the gifted vampire would share the throne with him._

 _But the carelessness of the brothers became their downfall. One day the older brother was draining a boy of his power as the mother of the boy caught him in the middle of the process._

 _Needless to say the mother was livid, and her anger only increased when her son died not long after their encounter with the brothers, as the boy did not have enough power and energy left in him to live any longer._

 _The woman was a witch, and though she knew she was not nearly powerful enough to either kill the brother or take his gift from him, she did know she could make his life more difficult. Using all power and authority she possessed she cast a curse: from now on if the gifted vampire would kill a creature in the process of obtaining its power he would lose all power he had already gathered._

"Just like the witch had hoped the curse made the brothers' search for power excessively more difficult, but they stubbornly refused to give up on their plans," Isabella explained quietly. "As the brothers had to start again from the beginning they decided on a different approach this time."

 _Instead of going around and searching for the descendants of all mythical creatures they would search for the most powerful creatures alive. When they found them they would persuade them into letting the gifted vampire copy his power._

 _What the vampires had not realized was that without the gifts and power of others it would be considerably more difficult to let someone 'allow' them to copy their gifts, especially with the reputation they had managed to build through the years._

"So they decided to go into hiding during their search, for some time at least," Isabella explained quietly. "That way others would think they were dead and after a while a new generation would arise, a generation who did not know of their existence."

 _It was around the year 3000 B.C. that someone caught the interest of the two vampires; her name was Aemilia, a friendly young woman who lived in the woods, at the distance of a few miles from a small village. She seemed to be a typical human, but as they observed her for a while they found out she was far from normal._

 _In Aemilia the vampires found what they had been looking for all those years. The woman had an air of authority around her and she probably had the power to take over the village, country or maybe even more if she would wish to do so. The people of the village seemed to unconsciously acknowledge the power she had; they listened to her requests and helped her, even when she did not specifically ask them to._

 _It was only after about a year of observation that the brothers noticed Aemilia was in fact not just a powerful human. They found that the woman would sometimes appear or disappear without them seeing her depart or arrive from her cottage in the woods, and she often seemed to know what was going on with other people without them actually telling her. In addition to that she did not seem to age at all._

 _The brothers had seen enough to want to investigate further and they started planning. One day as Aemilia was leaving to go into the village they caught her of guard and took her away. They tried to persuade her into letting the brother copy her power, but something they had not counted on was Aemilia's very unique gift of being able to read people. She was able see the personalities and intentions of the two vampires, and when she understood what the brothers were planning she rejected all their tries of persuasion, no matter what they told or promised her._

 _After a while the brothers noticed Aemilia was not planning to give in, and their persuading methods became crueller. They decided they would turn to their other methods; torturing her until she could not take it anymore._

 _Aemilia's existence became a living hell. Only being allowed to eat or drink when her body was on the brink of giving out the brothers used all kinds of methods to make sure she was in pain every single second of her life, while at the same time still keeping her alive._

 _What the brothers did not understand was that they had found one of the most powerful creatures in existence, and that by playing games with her they were doing the most stupid thing anyone could ever do. Something they also did not realize was that Aemilia was, in fact, not immortal at all._

 _One day, after years and years of torture, the brothers noticed Aemilia was calmer than usual, too calm for their liking. It did not sit well with them and when the younger brother started the torture, the woman kept completely quiet. Before they could try to find out what was different, flames suddenly appeared, flaring up and extinguishing just as fast as they started._

 _In front of the gifted vampire, who had been watching his companion torture the woman, there was nothing._

 _The only thing left were ashes on the ground._

"Aemilia was gone, and she had taken the brother with her in her death," Isabella trailed off, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Sulpicia knelt down in front of the girl and carefully wiped away the tears. "What happened to the other vampire?"

"The brother who was left behind was very angry," the girl explained quietly.

 _Not one second did he mourn his deceased brother, in his eyes the younger vampire had merely been a pion, someone to use in his plan of world domination. No, the only thing on his mind was the powerful creature that had slipped through his fingers. And so he started his search to try and find any family members or creatures with the same power as the woman who had just died, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not find any family of Aemilia. It seemed that she had just appeared out of nothing._

 _It was not until thousands of years later that the vampire came across a scent he recognized. It was not completely the same as the one he had come to know, but certain aspects were quite similar to Aemilia's and it caught his interest._

 _The scent led him to Volterra, the city he knew a 'vampire government' had formed a few millennia before. He had heard they had seized the power from the Romanian coven after killing the biggest part of the coven. When he had heard of them for the first time it had seemed almost laughable; the so-called leaders were nothing in comparison to him and he most certainly did not have to fear them. But to achieve his plan he knew he had to lie low for a little longer._

 _When the vampire studied the inhabitants of the castle for a few weeks he noticed that one woman in particular stood out. The difference with the others was very slight, but it was clearly there. As he focussed his attention on her he quickly noticed the many similarities she had with Aemilia._

 _His curiosity had reached its peak and he knew enough to start planning the capture of the woman. He decided it would be different this time; he did not want to repeat his mistake from last time and since this woman was a vampire it would be harder to take her away._

 _After some observation the man noticed that the woman, Didyme he had learnt was her name, would occasionally slip out of the castle on her own and interact with the people of the city they lived in. He prepared everything and waited for the right moment. One night everything was just right and he seized his chance; he abducted her and took her away from Volterra. He made sure he removed all evidence that he had ever been there, he did not want anyone following them._

"When they got away he first tried asking her to let him copy her power," Isabella said, clutching her wrist to her chest. "But mamma knew what had happened to Aemilia."

"How come she knew?" Athenodora asked softly.

"Dreams," the girl answered. "While she was still human, of course. Other knowledge was just there already, as if it had been there long before she even existed. Because of this mamma knew everything the brother was searching for and she did not give him permission to copy her power, while she knew what her denial would lead to."

 _"He..."_ Sulpicia whispered, carefully taking the girl's hand.

Isabella nodded before she took another deep breath and continued her story. "Though he knew it would be unlikely he had hoped she would give in easier than Aemilia. She did not."

 _Didyme lived through the cruellest things. It was no longer only about the power she possessed; she had become and obsession to the vampire, a collector's item. That the search for her was difficult only increased his desire to capture her. She was something he absolutely had to have, no matter what the costs were. He vowed she would not escape him this time; he was very careful and kept a close eye on her. The man was absolutely sure that if he continued his torture long enough, she would go crazy and give in._

"Going crazy she kind of did," Isabella sighed, biting her lip. "No one can go through that much torture and come out all happy and sane."

"What happened after?" Athenodora asked in a strangled voice as she clung to her mate.

The girl looked up at the queen before she answered. "He made a mistake, again. Instead of being as careful as he should have been the vampire became desperate after decades and he decided to play with fire, _literally_."

 _Of course venom is highly flammable and fire will kill a vampire if it comes in contact with the venom, but only if all parts of the vampire are burnt. Otherwise the remaining limbs will put themselves back together and continue living. Burning limbs was one of the man's favourite torture techniques for vampires. What he had not thought through was that Didyme was clearly not an average vampire. When he lit her arm on fire and quickly threw it out of reach, flames erupted from the rest of her body, leaving behind nothing more than ashes._

"She was gone..." Isabella whispered as she touched the bracelet she was wearing.

Marcus was breathing heavily now, the weight of the truth coming down onto him all at once. The king had always hoped that his lovely mate had at least gotten a peaceful death, but now he heard that had not been the case at all. He could remember the day his precious Didyme had vanished very clearly, it had been the second worst day of his life.

The first being the day years later when he had felt the burning pain in his heart; the moment he knew she was gone forever.

After Didyme had vanished Marcus and his brothers had tried everything they could to track whoever had taken her away, but they could not find a single hint as to who could have been the perpetrator. They knew she would not have gone away herself, she loved her vampire family dearly and being away from your mate for longer than a few days was extremely uncomfortable. The only obvious thing was that Didyme had to have been taken away forcefully, but _how?_ Didyme was a very powerful and strong vampire; even more so than her mate, her brother and the guard members.

The Volturi knew they had enemies, but they always kept an eye on those who they thought could try to stage a coup, like the Romanians. None of their enemies were even close, which left them completely clueless. To now have answers was a blessing and a curse at the same time; they did not need to guess anymore, but the explanation of what had happened to Didyme had brought up entirely new feelings.

"Didyme was not human?" Aro asked carefully as he hopelessly watched his brother slowly breaking down.

"No she wasn't," Isabella answered. "And neither was she your biological sister."

"Why is it you are here, little one?" Athenodora asked with a startled look on his face.

"I am the descendant," the girl answered. "I'm the next in line."

"The next in line of what?" Aro asked, stepping forward.

"It depends on which aspect you look at it," Isabella said as she slowly stood up. "But just like everyone who existed before me, I was not born like humans."

"Not born like a human? What exactly does that mean, dear Isabella?" Aro asked as he looked at the girl.

Isabella softly cleared her throat before she quoted:

 _"Così per li gran savi si confessa_

 _che la fenice more e poi rinasce,_

 _quando al cinquecentesimo anno appressa,"_

" _La fenice_?" Sulpicia said, eyes widening in shock.

"What the hell is a _fenice_?" Emmett asked. The Volturi turned around; they had completely forgotten that the members of the Cullen coven had not yet left the kitchen.

"La fenice is said to be a myth," Sulpicia whispered, combing a hand through her hair.

"As are vampires," Isabella said wisely.

"I read about it once, a few decades ago," Sulpicia said. "We have a few books about mythical creatures like la fenice in our library. But from most of those creatures we don't even know whether they ever existed or not, since their appearance was never truly documented."

"But _what_ exactly is it?" Rosalie asked, tilting her head to the side.

"It's said to be a powerful mythical creature," Isabella answered. "There's just one family line, if you could call it that, and _la fenice_ is not like any other creature you may know. Years after the death of her predecessor she is reborn from the ashes."

* * *

 _A/N: Storytime with Isabella! I'm sorry you had to wait this long for an update, but I had lots of exams and I had to study :( The next chapter will be up faster, I promise :)_ _It took me some time to get Bella's story straight, but I hope everything was clear and not too long-winded_ _. Feel free to tell me if anything seems unlogical or complicated, I'm writing this story by the chapter, so it could be that I forget to include certain answers or explanations. Thank you for all your lovely reviews, follows and favourites! Please let me know what you think of this chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_

Translation: 

**Cosí per li gran savi si confessa**

 **che la fenice more e poi rinasce,**

 **quando al cinquecentesimo anno appressa**

Even thus by the great sages 'tis confessed

The phoenix dies, and then is born again,

When it approaches it's five-hundreth year

( _Dante_ in _Inferno Canto XXIV_ )


	13. Chapter 13 - Training

**Chapter 13 - Training**

The week following the day Isabella had told the story of Aemilia and Didyme passed in a haze. Everyone who had witnessed the events in the kitchen was deep in thought and when the guard finally heard what the girl had told the others they too were shocked. At Isabella's request the Cullens temporarily moved to a house located near Volterra, though Carlisle and Jasper both spent most of their time in the Volturi castle helping the others and discussing every bit of information they could gather.

Now that the Volturi knew that someone was after the girl who was staying with them they had immediately upped their security. Isabella was not to be alone at any time; at least two guard members had to walk around with her.

Caius had organized fighting and defence practices, in which the guard could improve their skills while they taught each other new tactics. The gifted members of the Volturi guard got help from Eleazar in using their gifts to the best they could, while they also worked on covering their weaknesses.

Not just the guard, but also Aro, Caius and their mates were practicing every day with the others. After Didyme had been abducted, and later killed, the two queens had been heavily protected, each having a personal guard member with them wherever they went. Both had not had a fighting practice in decades and, as Jasper had pointed out, it would be a good idea to teach them about fighting too so they could defend themselves if they needed to. This way everyone hoped to be prepared when the fateful day would present itself.

-oOo-

Marcus had not spoken a single word since the day he heard about Didyme and her ancestors, something which worried his brothers and sisters greatly. The arrival of Isabella was what had made him talk again, but now it seemed he had retreated back into his shell, the mask to hide all of his true feelings in place again. They kept trying to talk to him, but he seemed to evade them.

Isabella herself also was slightly less happy and excited than she was before, though the difference was very small. She still played lots of games with the guard members who had time off training and she had fun with Antonio in the kitchen.

The old chef had noticed that Isabella's mood had dampened and he made it his personal goal to make sure she was completely happy again. During the day he taught the girl how to cook her favourite meals and together they baked hundreds of cookies and cupcakes, which all the vampires pretended to eat for the girl's sake, since it always made her laugh.

It was during such a baking session that Marcus entered the kitchen and watched as Isabella intensely followed the instructions Antonio gave her, not even noticing she had gained an audience. The chef was teaching the girl to make chocolate chip cookies today and Isabella frequently snuck a piece of chocolate into her mouth, much to Antonio's delight. As the girl turned around to go to the sink to wash her hands she spotted Marcus and froze on her spot. She analyzed him carefully before she gave him a small smile. "Hi."

The old king took a deep breath before he hesitantly smiled back. "Good morning, Isabella," he said, sitting down at the dinner table.

Isabella turned around and looked up at Antonio, who chuckled and gave her a nod, silently telling her to go speak with the king. The girl walked to the sink, washing her hands before she skipped over to Marcus.

"I'm glad you're here," she said as she took a seat.

"I am sorry for not talking to you for so long," Marcus said as he took Isabella's small hands in his. "I had to take some time to myself to think about what you told us."

"I understand," the girl reassured him. "It was just not as fun without you there."

"I missed spending time with you too, little one," Marcus said. "What would you say to a little walk in the garden?"

"I would love to go outside with you," Isabella answered happily, standing up while she kept one hand in Marcus's. Waving Antonio goodbye, the king and little girl exited the kitchen. Marcus told the two guard members on duty he would take over for some time before they walked through the halls towards the entrance of the gardens.

As Isabella chattered on about her day Marcus smiled. He had missed this, being with the little girl who had brought him so much happiness. It was a good thing he had taken some time to himself; he had truly needed it after hearing what his Didyme had gone through. But he had had a long time already to make peace with the fact he would go through the rest of his existence on his own, without a mate on his side. He had not been happy, not at all, but he had continued living his existence as he knew how much it had meant to his brothers and sisters.

When Marcus had felt his Didyme's death, the first thing he had wanted to do was hunt down whoever had caused it. After accomplishing that task he would join his mate in her death, no matter what he had to do to achieve that goal.

Aro and Caius had been with him when he had buckled over in pain and they had immediately rushed over. After Aro read his brother's mind he made the decision to keep him in the castle, doing everything he could to keep Marcus alive.

Marcus had been furious for decades after; he was not able to take revenge for his mate nor could he join her, it went against everything his instincts told him to do. The bond between the three brothers had been strained so extremely that even Caius started debating with Aro whether they should not just grant their brother his wish. But even though it was a selfish thing to do they decided not to let Marcus go.

It became easier for them when Chelsea joined the guard, creating a stronger bond between Marcus and the Volturi family. Later when Corin entered the ranks and helped him feel less of the pain, the weight on his shoulders lessened, though it never fully disappeared.

The king smiled as Isabella pulled him along to the big tree in the middle of the court yard where a wooden swing was connected to the tree with a long rope. The girl carefully climbed on the swing, motioning for Marcus to push her. When he did as she asked she let out a delighted squeal as she swung higher and higher, a serene expression plastered on her face. After a few minutes Isabella slowed down, until the swing just softly moved back and forward.

"Let's go inside," the girl suddenly said, jumping off the swing. As they entered the castle she started to happily hum a tune.

"What is it that has you in such a good mood this morning?" Marcus asked when Isabella started skipping forward.

The girl looked up at him with a big smile on her face. "Janey is coming back!"

Marcus raised his eyebrows at the nickname; Jane hated it if anyone called her anything else than her name, let alone 'Janey'. Even her brother always used her full given name, but it seemed that it did not matter to Isabella. Not that it surprised him anymore.

"That is great news, little one, but does she not have to stay with her brother and Gianna? Her newborn year and training are not over for at least another few months," Marcus said as they walked around the corner.

"No, Alec and Gianna are doing other things and Jane is frustated because of them. Uncle Aro will send over someone else to help," Isabella explained.

Marcus nodded in acknowledgment as they arrived at the throne room. When they entered he noticed that Jane had indeed arrived, just like he had been told, looking extremely agitated. The king had expected Isabella to run up to the twin, but much to his surprise the girl calmly walked over, interrupting the blond vampire's quick talking.

"We have to go," she told Aro and Caius determinedly, taking Jane's hand and started pulling the stunned guard member to the exit. "Send Demetri or Felix over! They will be the best choice."

As the wooden doors closed behind them Isabella stopped and turned around before she studied the vampire with an intense look on her face. "Come with me," she said when she had analyzed Jane and taken notice of her rigid posture.

The woman was completely fed up with everything that had been happening and she followed the girl without asking any questions. As they approached a room she was all too familiar with her curiosity flared up. "Why are we here?"

"You're going to work out," Isabella answered as if it was the most logical thing on earth. "I believe both Felix and Jasper Whitlock are in there right now."

"Jasper Whitlock? As in Jasper from the Olympic coven?" Jane asked incredulously.

"Yep," the girl answered. "You've missed quite a bit while you were away. And yes, you will be caught up to everything later on, but first we have something else to take care of."

Without much effort Isabella opened the door to the training room, slipping inside while motioning for the vampire to follow her.

The training room was quite big: a big circular platform was surrounded by stands, like an arena. In the middle two vampires were sparring, they did not even notice that Isabella and Jane had entered the room. Completely fascinated the girl watched as they moved, way too fast for human eyes to follow, but she did not have any problems with the speed at all.

It was not until Isabella sneezed because of all the dust flying around that Jasper and Felix stopped in their fight to turn around. When they spotted the child they shook hands and dusted themselves off before they came over and greeted Isabella and Jane.

"What are you two doing here?" Felix asked, looking at Jane. When the vampire shrugged Isabella was the one who answered. "I have brought you an opponent."

While Felix looked confused Jasper got a taste of Jane's jumbled emotions, mostly consisting of anger, frustration and irritation. Understandingly he looked at Isabella who nodded at him, confirming his suspicions.

"What would you think of a duel?" Jasper asked as he turned towards the blond vampire with a challenging look in his eyes. "Just pure strength and speed, gifts cannot be used."

Taking up on the challenge an evil smirk appeared on Jane's face as she took off her black cloak. "Let's see what you can do."

-oOo-

An hour later the duel was still going on and Isabella had dozed off on Felix' shoulder as they were watching. Neither Jane nor Jasper was able to get the upper hand in the fight, they seemed to be evenly matched; the woman having hundreds of years of experience, her opponent having fought in the vampire wars for years. As the duel continued Jane was slowly starting to work off all frustration she had been building up for the past few months.

Gianna had not been the first newborn she and her brother had had to train; she had seen hundreds of newborns coming and going over the years, but this time it was different. As she had been the one to sire the former receptionist Aro had assigned her to be present when the woman would wake up. The bond between sire and newborn made Jane the ultimate candidate to calm the new vampire when she finished changing.

Not wanting his sister to be alone with the newborn Alec had volunteered to come along, an offer she had quickly accepted as they had always made the perfect team together. What they had not counted on was the event fate had in store for them.

When Gianna had awoken she had reacted just as any other newborn; frightened and confused she had shot towards the corner of the room, pressing her back into the wall. She had crouched lowly, ready to attack anyone who would come too close as she looked at Jane, and secondly Alec. When Alec's and Gianna's eyes met the world seemed to freeze for a moment before Alec's eyes widened in shock.

 _"Mate,"_ he had whispered as the newborn shot forward into his arms, hissing at her mate's sister.

It was that moment when Jane had finally understood why the irritating child had stopped her from draining the woman. While she would never admit such a thing, she would have been devastated if she had killed her brother's mate. She may not have liked the woman, but she did not wish her other half's happiness to be taken away.

Though Jane loved her brother dearly, after some time living with a newly mated couple while trying to train part of said couple had made her frustration rise to dangerous levels. Having to listen to all the doting words the two exchanged, or the hours of loving after the lessons and training was not something anyone should have to tolerate for more than a day, let alone six months.

It was a good thing they had gone to the training room. Not many vampires other than her brother could keep up with Jane as she had hundreds of years of experience on battle fields and missions, but Jasper Whitlock seemed to be a good match. And while using your gift in a fight was an easy way out, it did not particularly help release all frustration and it was refreshing to fight using only the basic abilities vampirism had brought them.

About two hours into the fight the vampires decided to call it even as Felix pointed out that Isabella was half-asleep, hanging partially in his lap.

"Rematch later on?" Jasper asked, shaking Jane's hand.

"Obviously," Jane answered, returning the gesture before she turned around. She walked to their audience with the intent of telling the burly vampire that he should take the girl to her bed, but when she reached the stands Isabella suddenly shot upright. A big smile appeared on her face as she started to bounce energetically.

Where the girl got all her energy from Jane would never know.

"Now that you've worked off your frustration we're going to watch a movie!" Isabella said happily.

Before the blond vampire could protest the girl was already pulling her along, Felix and Jasper silently laughing at them, which earned them both a deathly glare from Jane. Happily skipping forward Isabella led the vampire to a room next to hers, where a huge TV hung on the wall in front of a big couch. Pulling Jane along to sit next to her, the girl took the remote control and started scrolling through their movie options. It didn't take long before she looked up at the blond vampire with a mischievous look on her face.

"Can you please close the curtains and turn off the lights?" she asked as she selected the movie she wanted to watch. Sighing Jane obediently got up and closed the, in her opinion, hideous bright pink curtains. How someone could look at them without being blinded she did not understand. When she turned back around Isabella hit play and a pink figure with a high voice started talking.

"What is this?" Jane asked, staring at the girl. Bella only smiled bigger before she squealed happily. "It's Trolls!"

-oOo-

That evening after Isabella had finally gone to bed, protesting as always, yawning as she said she was 'not tired at all' and she wanted to 'sing and dance and hug' with Jane, the three kings and their mates caught the blond vampire up to everything which had transpired in the past few months. While they had contacted each other over the phone several times after the trio had left to go to a house outside of Volterra, not everything had been mentioned and she did not yet know of what Isabella had told them about herself and her ancestors.

"So you are telling me the girl is a Phoenix?" Jane asked incredulously. "How do we know she is not making it up, or that she is living in a world of fantasy? The child is only five after all."

"We have gone over what she told us several times, and we have investigated everything she mentioned," Aro said, understanding why Jane had a hard time believing the story. "Everything she said seems to fit, the events that happened match with all which is documented from reality. That combined with our observations and knowledge of her gifts leaves us with no other option than to accept her explanation."

Deep in thought Jane nodded, she did understand their reasoning. But this was definitely something she would only truly accept it if she would see the evidence with her own eyes.

Suddenly the doors opened, a flustered Heidi coming running in, Felix not far behind.

"It's Bella, she is gone!" Heidi said with wide eyes.

"What!? Isabella is gone? How did that happen?" Marcus asked, completely shocked as he stood up from his seat.

"We were standing guard next to her room when we noticed there was no heart beat anymore and when we went to look she was not there," Heidi explained.

"Where on earth can she have gone?" Athenodora asked.

"We don't know, her scent does not lead anywhere," Felix answered as he motioned for the kings and their mates to follow him. When they arrived at the girl's bedroom they all entered, searching for a clue as to how Isabella had so suddenly disappeared. It did not even take a second to realize there was nothing that could tell them where the girl had gone.

"What do we do?" Sulpicia asked, completely stressed out. "How do we know for sure if she left by herself? What if she did not leave but..."

"If she was taken..." Marcus whispered as the others all turned around in shock.

"Prepare the guard," Caius ordered Felix. "They will leave today, only a few will stay behind to ensure protection of the castle. Call Demetri, let someone else take over the newborn training from him, hopefully he can track Isabella. Make sure no one leaves behind any traces; we do not want to start a war with anyone because they think we are trespassing onto their territory."

With a nod Felix disappeared into the hallways, Heidi and Jane quickly following, leaving the kings and queens to their own.

"How could we have let this happen?" Athenodora asked no one in particular as she shook her head. "The poor girl, what has she done to deserve such a fate?"

"I will call the Cullens," Aro said, walking towards the conference room. "Maybe they can help us."

Marcus started pacing back and forward nervously, he had lost his Didyme way too soon; he did not want to lose the girl too. Of all people Isabella most deserved a childhood as normal as it could be, but because of this ancient vampire she had to watch her back every single second of the day. And now all precautions seemed to be for nothing, as the little girl had been taken from them anyway. He needed to do something, anything to get her back safe as soon as possible.

Decidedly the king stopped pacing; he knew what he would do. He would go and look for her himself, years of experience had led to him being quite a good seeker, he would try and find the girl. Even if it would be the last thing he did.

The doors suddenly opened as Jasper came running into the room, two unknown vampires following him.

"Wait! Don't do anything just yet!" the man said with a southern drawl as he walked towards Marcus.

* * *

 _A/N: Hello! Here's chapter 13 for you, I hope you like it! I had to think for a bit what exactly I wanted to happen, and this is what my brain produced today ;) Thank you to all follows, favourites and, of course, reviews! It is so awesome to see that you're enjoying my story ;) Please leave a review to tell me what you think of this chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_


	14. Chapter 14 - Mountains

_Decidedly the king stopped pacing; he knew what he would do. He would go and look for her himself, years of experience had led to him being quite a good seeker, he would try and find the girl. Even if it would be the last thing he did._

 _The doors suddenly opened as Jasper came running into the room, two unknown vampires following him._

 _"Wait! Don't do anything just yet!" the man said with a southern drawl as he walked towards Marcus._

* * *

 **Chapter 14 - Mountains**

Alarmed the king looked up at Jasper, who was watching the unknown vampire with a confused look.

"Who are you?" Marcus asked, cautiously stepping forward.

"Peter Whitlock is the name, sir," the man said, holding out his hand for the king to shake. "And this is my mate, Charlotte."

Marcus's eyebrows rose as he accepted Peter's hand, making the connection between the man and the voice on the phone he had heard before. So this was the man Isabella had been talking about so much. The king looked up at Jasper, silently asking for an explanation. As the blond vampire caught Marcus's gaze he shook his head; he did not know what was going on either. Suddenly the king had an idea.

"Do you know where Isabella is?" he asked Peter with a hopeful look on his face. When the man shook his head Marcus's face fell.

"But I do know she is safe," Peter said as his mate walked up to him. "I don't know where or with who she is, but she is not in any danger."

The king looked at the vampire with doubt in his eyes. "How can you know such a thing for sure? What can we do to get her back here?"

"I just know," Peter answered, shrugging his shoulders. "And Isabella will return by herself when she can, there is no need to send all troops over to search for her. You would probably not be able to find her anyway."

The king sighed; he had hoped this vampire would have at least known with who Isabella resided. It was good to know that she was most likely not in any danger, if he could trust Peter's words. But he knew he would only feel completely at ease again when the girl returned to the castle and was under their protection.

"I will converse with my brothers about this development," Marcus said as he nodded to the three vampires. "If you will excuse me."

The king left the room, his footsteps echoing loudly in the empty hallways. Jasper looked at his brother with his eyebrows raised. "What is this all about? How the hell did you get pulled into this mess?"

Peter grinned, laying an arm around Charlotte's shoulder. "You tell me if you know the answer."

-oOo-

Nearing the throne room a low murmuring reached Marcus's ears. The entrance was unguarded, and after taking a deep breath the king pushed the door open. Inside the room it was a complete chaos; the guard members were walking around, shouting and talking to each other. Everyone seemed to be ready to head out, they were all dressed in their grey cloaks, forming groups and discussing tactics. In front of the three thrones Caius was in a conversation with Demetri, who seemed to be extremely agitated.

When the guard members saw the king the sound slowly diminished, until it was completely quiet in the room. Noticing the sudden silence Caius looked up to see his brother reaching the steps up to the thrones. He threw a glare at the guard, who quickly composed themselves and began talking again. When everyone was busy Caius turned around and faced Marcus with a curious expression on his face. "What is it you need?"

"You can stop the preparations," Marcus answered, noticing that a few members of the guard were listening too. "We are not going to search for Isabella."

"Why not? We should get her into safety immediately," Caius said with a shocked expression on his face. "Who is to know what will happen if we wait any longer?"

"Peter Whitlock just arrived at the castle," the old king explained patiently. "He knows Isabella is safe, though he does not know where she is. He told me she will come back by herself."

"How do we know he is not lying?" Caius asked, agitated with his brother's easy acceptance of the unknown vampire's words. He did not understand why Marcus had given up on the search for the girl so easily before they had even started. "He could be working together with the enemy for all we know."

"Isabella trusted him when she spoke to him on the phone, she told us he already saved her once," Marcus answered. "But we should ask our brother for confirmation of his intentions. If Peter Whitlock has nothing to hide he would not mind for Aro to read him."

Caius nodded in agreeance before he turned around to the guard and told them to pause their preparations. As he explained that there were some doubts on the need of a search disappointed sounds were heard. Sighing and mumbling the vampires left the room; it had been a while since something big happened and they had been looking forward to a new challenge. But now they had to stop before they had even started, while the problem had not been solved yet.

After the last guard members had left the room the two brothers walked to the library. As the entered they saw Aro laying out several papers, maps and statistics, murmuring quietly to himself. Looking up he noticed his brothers and started explaining what he found.

"I took a look, and I think it is best if we start-" he said before he stopped as Marcus held up a hand. "What is wrong?"

"It is possible we do not have to start a search for Isabella," his brother explained, briefly touching Aro's wrist. "Though we would like for you to check his intentions before we completely dismiss our plans."

Aro sighed and looked down at the maps after he saw what had transpired with Peter Whitlock. The idea of not doing anything to get the girl back made him uncomfortable. A search might not be necessary, but he would have liked to know where Isabella was so he could be sure she was safe. Deciding to do as his brothers asked of him Aro stood up from his seat and nodded to his brothers.

"Lead the way."

-oOo-

 _Meanwhile, about 5000 miles away..._

"Would you guys stop?" Irina said irritated as she ran next to her sister and her mate. "You have been acting all lovey-dovey for months now, I'm getting sick of it."

Kate huffed, placing one arm around Garrett, who chuckled lowly. "Get yourself a man, Rina, and leave us alone. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. Don't act like such a bitch."

Before her sister could react Tanya quickly intervened. "Hey, stop you two you don't need to-"

Tanya cut of her sentence when Irina suddenly came to a stop, looking at the house in the distance with a frown. Confused the others looked at their sister, who shushed them when they started to talk.

"Do you hear that?" she whispered, pointing at the house.

As they listened intensely they understood why Irina had stopped. A soft humming noise was coming from somewhere in front of their house, and it was definitely not Carmen's. Their residence was miles away from the humans and they rarely had unannounced visitors, so they did not have any idea who this could be. Motioning for her sisters and Garrett to follow her, Tanya took the lead and started to run. When they reached the house they carefully walked around it to the front door, looking for the source of the noise.

Suddenly Tanya slowed down, turning around to the others as she pointed. In front of the large window of the living room a little girl in bright coloured pyjamas was lying in the snow. The child was moving around her arms and legs, creating a snow angel as she was happily humming a tune they did not recognize. Her lips were turning blue, but the girl was smiling as she lay there. A second later she sat upright and she carefully stood up, shaking all snow off her clothes before stepping away. She abruptly turned around and her eyes lit up as she saw the Denali's.

"There you are!" the girl said, happily skipping over to the group of vampires who were looking at her with astonished looks. Tanya was the first to move as she knelt down in front of the child.

"Hello," she said, smiling at the girl. "My name is Tanya. What is your name?"

"I'm Isabella," the child answered as she started to shiver. "But some call me Bella."

"Well, Bella, would you like to come inside? It is awfully cold here," Tanya said as she motioned to the door.

Relieved Isabella nodded, she was getting quite chilly and it would be nice to warm up a little. It could be a while before she returned and her wet clothes were quite uncomfortable.

As the girl went inside with Tanya the others followed them, still not understanding what was happening. When Isabella opened the door to the living room the movement of the air blew her scent towards the vampires. They immediately stopped moving, eyes widening as they smelled the fading scents of several different vampires mixed in with the girl's own.

When Isabella noticed that no one was following her she turned around and she saw the frozen vampires. Confused she looked at them for a minute before she understood what had happened.

"Oh," Isabella said as she looked at her bare feet. "I was with some friends before, but I, uhm, kind of accidentally left?"

"You have been hanging out with-" Kate started before stopping as she realized she had been about to unthinkingly expose their secret.

But Isabella did not notice her internal reprimanding and she mindlessly finished the woman's sentence. "Yes, vampires. Do you maybe have a blanket I can borrow? It's pretty cold in here."

Stunned the vampires looked at her before Irina slowly walked to the thermostat to up the temperature. Breaking out of her stupor second Tanya moved over and led Isabella to the couch, before noticing the girl was soaking wet. Though she might not have known much about humans, she did understand that it was not healthy for them to stay cold and wet for a long time.

"Would you like to take a shower? That way you can warm up a bit," she said as she looked at Isabella. The child nodded happily; she was in fact very cold and the thought of a shower was very pleasant. Instead of continuing their way to the living room Tanya scooped Isabella up in her arms and brought her up to the bathroom.

The vampire helped the girl to take off her pyjamas until she stood there, shivering in her underwear. "You can use the soap on the shelf in the shower and there are towels in the cupboard. Do you need any help?"

"No, I'm fine, I'm already five years old," Bella answered happily. "But I don't have any clothes to put back on when I'm finished."

"I will get you something to wear while you shower, don't worry about it," Tanya said sweetly. After explaining how the shower worked the vampire left, taking the soaking wet clothes with her to put in the dryer.

About an hour later Isabella exited the bathroom, a healthy blush on her cheeks, wearing one of Irina's shirts. Though it was the shortest sister's, the shirt was still way too long and it fell past the girl's knees. Not that the girl minded, as she was happy wearing it as a dress. After closing the door behind her she walked down the stairs, entering the living room where the others were seated.

"Hi," Isabella said shyly, looking down at the wooden floor.

"Hello," Kate said. "We talked for a bit and we wondered if there maybe is someone who we can call for you? I reckon you are quite lost if you ended up here, there must be someone who is looking for you."

The girl thought for a minute before she made a decision. "Could you try to call Jasper Whitlock for me?"

-oOo-

 _Back in Volterra..._

Following Jasper's scent the three kings ended up in the gardens, where Jasper, Charlotte and Peter were seated, talking with each other. As the brothers walked closer Peter turned around, a slightly sour expression on his face.

"What I do for this girl," he murmured, sighing as he stood up from the bench he was sitting on. "Well, let's get this over with."

Aro looked at him for a second before cleared his throat and stepped forward. "I believe you already know what I am going to ask you?"

When the blond vampire nodded the king held his hand out, looking at him. "Have you got anything to hide?"

Peter shook his head and took a deep breath before he moved his hand to place it in Aro's.

"Jasper!" a voice suddenly called, interrupting the moment.

Both Peter and Aro withdrew their hands, turning around just in time to see Eleazar running towards the small gathering. He was holding his phone in his hand, wearing a relieved expression. Jasper looked at him curiously before he accepted the phone, holding it to his ear.

"Hello?"

 _"Jasper? Oh, I'm glad I reached you!"_ a female voice rambled. _"She told me I should call you, but I think your phone is turned off or something, because you did not pick up!"_

"Kate? Why are you calling me? And who are you talking about?" Jasper asked, completely confused. He did not understand why Kate was calling him now. The Cullens had steady contact with their vegetarian 'cousins', but next to some visits they rarely called each other.

 _"Well-"_ Kate said. _"Hold on a sec, I have to make sure no one breaks anything. Tanya! Tell her not to jump on the couch, Carmen just bought that, it's new! Tan-"_

All vampires were looking at the phone now, waiting for the woman to resume the call. They heard some muffled sounds before she returned.

 _"I'm sorry, where was I? Oh, yes, why I called?"_ she said. _"Well, we came back from a hunt about an hour ago and we found an unexpected visitor in our front yard."_

Marcus shot forward and grabbed the phone out of Jasper's hand. "Is Isabella with you?"

 _"Yes, she is here with us. She was reeking of vampire; she had apparently been spending time with lots of others of our kind. It was quite the shock, you can imagine, but she told us she knew what we were. Wait, who am I talking to?"_

Relieved Marcus's shoulders sagged as he answered. "Marcus Volturi."

It was silent for a minute before Kate responded, her voice cold now. _"Oh. Well. That is unexpected."_

Confused Marcus looked at Aro; he did not understand why the vampire was suddenly acting so icily and disrespectful towards him.

"Her creator was involved in one of the incidents with the immortal children," his brother explained lowly, not wanting the vampires on the other side of the line to overhear their conversation. Aro did remember the event quite vividly even though it happened centuries ago.

Not long after they had seized power the three brothers had quickly discovered there was a big problem with immortal children. These vampire creations looked innocent and were extremely beautiful, but because they were frozen at the age they were turned they were very volatile. Their brains could no longer develop and the children could not be taught much. Often they would murder without any conscious thought; they did not understand the need to hide from anyone and the situation would quickly get out of hand.

Several discussions later the kings had sent their guard after the immortal children, and they had introduced a law that forbade any further creation. Anyone who disobeyed would be punished with death.

Sasha had been one of the vampires who had not listened to the law, and she had paid for it dearly. While she had tried to hide the little boy, the Volturi had found out about his existence and executed him together with his creator not much later. Her three daughters had been there when their mother was killed and they had to be held back by the guard to prevent them from intervening. The women were furious, but Aro was able to see that none of Sasha's other creations knew of the existence of the immortal child and they had been allowed to go.

Though the Volturi had been more ruthless during that period of time, Aro had seen through Marcus's thoughts that the bond between the three women and their creator was very strong. It saddened him now that the three women had had to suffer from such a loss as he knew how much he missed his sister. It had been necessary to intervene because Sasha had undergone such a crime, but he did understand why her daughters held so much anger against them. He felt the same towards the vampire who had killed Didyme.

Marcus cleared his throat before he resumed the call. "Could we perhaps make some arrangements?"

 _"Bella just told me she would like to speak to you, if you can hang on a second I will try and get her to calm down,"_ Kate said, handing over the phone a minute later.

 _"Marcus? Hi!"_ a high voice happily said. _"It's good to speak to you, I'm in Denali now! Did you know they have very high mountains over here? And there is snow everywhere! I already made an angel today and maybe I will make a snowman later, or a snowball fight_

A small smile appeared on the king's face as he answered. "Yes, I did know that, little one, I have read a lot about Alaska. I am happy to finally hear from you, we were very worried about you. How come you so suddenly disappeared?"

 _"I'm sorry,"_ the girl said, sounding guilty. _"I can't control it."_

"What is it you can not control, Isabella?" Marcus asked with a frown.

 _"It's just a thing I sometimes do,"_ the child explained. _"I hop from one place to another. It's not like I want to do it, it just happens. Mostly I end up in places near people I know. Sometimes I hop back, but most of the time I don't. It is how I ended up in Volterra six months ago."_

The three brothers shared a shocked look; they suddenly realized they probably did not even know half of what Isabella was capable of. Never before had they heard or read about things like this. Though, now they thought about it, they did remember certain occasions where Didyme would return from trips they did not even know she had left for.

"I understand," Marcus said, trying to process all new information. "It had maybe been better for us to know earlier, so we would not have had to worry this much, but I am happy you are safe. Will you return to Volterra soon?"

"I think so, if someone can accompany me to Italy," Isabella said. "Otherwise we probably have to find another way."

The king thought about her answer before he responded. "Would you hand the phone over to one of the adults there, little one? I hope to make some arrangements."

After a goodbye Isabella handed over the phone and a few minutes of discussing later the plans were made. With a sigh of relief Marcus ended the phone call and handed the phone back to Eleazar. He turned around and nodded to his brothers before he walked away and entered the castle.

Isabella would soon return home.

* * *

 _A/N: Hello! Here is chapter 14 for you :) A little look in the life at the Denali's and lots of commotion in Volterra today. And no cliffhanger ;) Thank you very much for reading, following, favouriting and reviewing my story! Please make sure to leave a review so I know what you think of this chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_


	15. Chapter 15 - Ice Cold

**Chapter 15 - Ice Cold**

Not even two days after Isabella disappeared she safely returned to the castle, escorted by both Tanya and Irina from the Denali clan. The kings had a serious conversation with the girl when she had taken a shower and changed her clothes. They talked about what happened and set up a few precautions. The Volturi wanted to make sure she would be safe in the future in case the event would repeat itself. First of all Isabella would memorize their phone number, so she could immediately call to Italy if she landed in another place. They also agreed that if the girl would feel the travelling coming she would take the mobile phone they had bought for the occasion.

When the kings had made all arrangements they filled Isabella in on what had transpired in the castle in the past few hours. The girl had been absolutely ecstatic when she found out Peter was staying nearby. The Whitlocks had moved in with the Cullen coven for the time being and they had already departed the castle when the girl returned. They were very surprised when the Volturi had called them in the middle of the night to ask if Peter would please come over to help them out.

"No," Isabella said stubbornly as Sulpicia tucked her in for the fifth time that night.

The queen sighed as she held her hand against her forehead. If she would have been able to get tired she would be completely exhausted by now; the little girl was putting up quite a fight. Sulpicia would put Isabella to bed, leave the room, and not even ten minutes later the girl would try to escape. She would never come far though, as the vampire who was guarding the door would catch her when she opened the door. While initially the guard had been placed there to keep intruders out of the room, now he had the second job of also trying to keep the girl in.

"We already told you, Isabella, you have to go to sleep now," Sulpicia said, giving the child a glare. "Peter will come over either tomorrow or the day after. You will just have to be patient."

"But I really wanna see him," Isabella whined as she tried to wriggle out of her bed.

Marcus walked into the room and shared a look with his sister before they both sighed in defeat. "All right, I am done with this."

Before they could say more Isabella was standing in front of them, wearing her favourite dress and a bow tied in her unruly hair. As she bounced up and down Marcus led her and Sulpicia to the library, where they dialled the number of the Cullen residence.

"Good evening, Carlisle, I am sorry to bother you this late, but I would like to speak to Peter..."

-oOo-

Peter was more than happy to come over to the castle to be reunited with Isabella. He arrived five minutes after the phone call with Charlotte on his side, grinning widely as he greeted the girl with a hug. The two of them were mischievous to no end and they had a lot of fun in the following weeks. They got in all kinds of trouble which often had both the Volturi and Charlotte shaking their heads.

The members of the guard were very relieved that the girl returned completely safe and unscathed. It had not been until the entire guard had been summoned for the search that they realized how much of a chaos it truly was. Since there were fewer missions than there used to be, they had not had a lot of practice. It was harder to work together and there were several issues they had to solve.

First of all the guard started training daily in the different training rooms all through the castle. Their fighting skills were updated and improved as they learned from different teachers as well as each other. Secondly the kings formed well-structured plan together with Carlisle and Jasper. They had written out what exactly would happen if there was an attack or if they needed to start a massive search, so everyone knew what they would have to do.

The guard members also happily picked up the job of teaching Isabella different subjects and skills all through the week, while also leaving enough time for her to play and have fun. They thought it was time for the girl to learn new things, especially since she was of preschool age now.

It turned out that Isabella really had a knack for languages. After a few lessons from different vampires tutors she was fluent in Italian, French and Ancient Greek. The three brothers thought it probably had to do something with Didyme's knowledge, as she had always loved to study languages. Isabella's capability to learn very fast amazed them to no end and they had quickly concluded that she knew more than any child her age.

While languages were quite easy for the girl, it turned out that when it came to maths she had problems. Athenodora was very patient in her explanations, but Isabella would always end up being grumpy.

"Maths is useless anyway," the girl said, pouting as Athenodora tried to explain how to do the exercise. "Why should I have to learn it? It is stupid."

"Do not say such things, Isabella," the queen reprimanded. "Mathematics is very helpful, also in everyday life."

"No it is not."

"It is," Athenodora said as she thought of a way to explain it to the girl. "What about baking with Antonio? You need to know how much flour or butter to use if you make twenty cookies instead of ten, is that right?"

"Yes," Isabella answered slowly with a thoughtful expression on her face. "Otherwise the cookies won't taste very good."

"That is why we have to learn how to do mathematics," the queen stated.

The girl nodded, happy to understand her aunt's reasoning. Suddenly she frowned.

"But you don't eat," Isabella said. "So why do you still learn mathematics?"

It was quiet for a second.

"See, it's useless!"

Athenodora groaned as she let her head fall down on the table. Maybe they should wait a few more years before reintroducing mathematics.

-oOo-

Three months after Isabella's return the Cullens decided to permanently move to a house near Volterra. Carlisle resigned from the hospital he was working at before the tour through Europe and the family shipped over any items they would need. When everything in Volterra had settled a bit Carlisle started a part time job at a nearby hospital, much to the Volturi's amusement.

The time Carlisle did not spend at work he spent at the castle, discussing different things he had found out when reading. Sometimes he and the three brothers talked about something else they had noticed about the girl. As Carlisle had studied humans and their behaviour for years he was very good at noticing the small things. He was able to point out several differences between Isabella and human children of her age.

Esme would often come to the castle together with Carlisle. She spent her time wandering around helping others, and she got to know Sulpicia and Athenodora. The sisters accepted the vegetarian vampire with open arms after the initial hesitation and the three women had good times together.

Aro was still very fascinated by Carlisle and the two of them often had hour-long conversations. The king still thought back with much joy to the time the peculiar vampire had stayed with them. Carlisle had brought them a different perspective of the world and life in itself. He had most certainly been a breath of fresh air in the never changing existences of the Volturi.

While Carlisle had not been able to convince anyone to convert to the animal diet, he had made them aware of the human sides each of them still possessed. It had brought the kings to ban children from their diets and it was the reason they now organized two separate tours.

When Carlisle was talking with the others Edward trained his mind reading with the help of Eleazar. During his stay in Italy he had already significantly expanded the reach of his gift. Aro was absolutely fascinated by his ability to hear thoughts without the need of touch and he often asked the younger vampire questions.

During the day Edward would wander around the castle or sit in the garden with a book. When the mind reader had found out that everyone was helping the little girl to acquire new skills he suggested he could teach her to play the piano. Isabella had been very excited when she heard about his offer and now she spent at least a few hours a week together with Edward. He turned out to be a very patient teacher and the girl always looked forward to her music lessons.

The mind reader was very intrigued by Isabella's silent mind. While he had certainly tried to break through the invisible wall, with the girl's permission of course, he never succeeded. Her mind was very complicated and when he tried to decipher her thoughts the only thing he got was a headache. After he had accepted the fact that it simply was impossible to read her thoughts, he decided to just savour the few hours of silence Isabella brought with her.

"Good afternoon Bella," Edward greeted the little girl as she entered the room, her hand in Marcus's.

"Hey Eddie!" Isabella squealed as she ran over and gave Edward a big hug.

The vampire sighed as he chuckled at the mentioning of the nickname the girl had given him. Though he had already told her that he did not like to be called 'Eddie' Isabella had stubbornly kept using the name until he stopped talking about it. Emmett would definitely never stop bugging him about it if he ever found out.

"Are you ready to learn how to play a new song today?" he asked when the girl let go of him.

Isabella nodded enthusiastically and skipped over to the piano where she seated herself. Looking back she motioned for Edward to come over and sit next to her. The mind reader nodded politely to Marcus before he followed the girl and sat down.

"All right," he said. "Would you like to start with the song I taught you last time? Afterwards we can try something else."

"That's fine with me!" Isabella said happily as she focussed and placed her tiny fingers on the keys.

-oOo-

While Peter and Charlotte had left Italy a few weeks after Isabella returned, Jasper did not have to be bored at all without the company of his friends. The kings knew of his high status in the Southern vampire wars and Aro had seen how skilled he was through Jane's thoughts. While the vampire would never admit it, she had been very impressed. After a few discussions the three brothers asked Jasper if he would help them to train their guard. Happy with the new opportunity he accepted the offer, spending day after day in the castle ruthlessly training the members of the guard. Alice could often be found nearby, desperately trying to work around the black void in the future, which was created Isabella's presence.

Rosalie and Emmett also spent most of their time in the city of Volterra and its surroundings. They studied the Italian language together with the girl in the castle on the many sunny days, and Rosalie had applied to a part time job in the local garage. After she had overcome her anger about the little child being dragged into the supernatural world, she had really bonded with Isabella. Outside of their lessons the child would drag the blonde vampire to her room to have some 'girl time'. Isabella would allow Rosalie to do her hair and nails and they often played with the girl's toys.

On the cloudy days Emmett would often go to the garage with Rosalie, but sometimes he would stay in the castle. He had promised Peter that he would ensure Isabella would get some lessons in pranks now the Southern vampire had left. Together they came up with hundreds of jokes, which they tried out on anyone who was nearby, much to the rest of the castle's dismay.

"Emmett I-"

"Shh," the big burly vampire shushed as he looked around to see if anyone had heard them. When he saw no one had noticed the sound he turned around to Isabella. "I used to do this all the time with my brothers when I was still human, it's going to be so much fun!"

"But Emmett-"

"Wait! Someone's coming," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "Three, two, one..."

The door opened and Jasper mindlessly walked out of the castle into the garden to take a break from the training. What he did not know was that a bucket of water stood on top of the door, tilting over as he further opened it. The ice cold water startled him as he stood there, soaking wet, water dripping from his clothes. He immediately turned around to Isabella and Emmett's hiding spot.

"Emmett," Jasper said in a threatening voice. "You're going to wish you never did that."

Before the burly vampire could react Jasper was running his way. Emmett quickly got up and sprinted across the garden, trying to get away before the blond vampire could reach him.

Isabella sighed as she watched the chase. "I was going to tell you about that."

-oOo-

Though Antonio had not been told anything about the disappearance of the girl, he had gotten quite suspicious when he suddenly got the day off. He had not asked anyone about it when he returned, but he did notice that the security had been upped again. He did not like that the young girl had to be watched this close, but he understood that it was for her own safety.

Antonio continued his daily work with much love and he truly showed his adoration for the girl. He frequently made her cookies and other desserts, muttering lowly about 'getting some meat on those bones'. The cook's work was much appreciated by Isabella, who always ate what he cooked her without any complaints.

The girl loved being Antonio's little 'principessa' and she frequently made him a drawing. The cook could always count on a new piece of art when it was time for another meal.

While Antonio was free to ask for a day off to visit his family any time, he rarely did so, saying he had time to visit them in the evening. When he was not cooking he liked to start other projects, like the little vegetable patch. One day he and Isabella planted different seeds of all sorts of vegetables and fruits in the garden next to the kitchen. Through the weeks Antonio taught the girl about the plants and what they needed to grow. Isabella greedily took in all information which he offered her and often she would search for books about the vegetables they were growing.

Sometimes Esme joined the two of them in the kitchen. Isabella quickly discovered that Antonio was not the only one in the castle with a love for cooking. When the cook found out the woman liked to cook he welcomed her into the kitchen. He took her under his wing as he taught her how to make lots of different dishes. Though human food smelled repulsive to the vampire, she had always liked to cook at home. Instead of eating the food she would donate it to the local shelter.

"Hey Esme!" Isabella happily greeted the beautiful vampire, entering the kitchen.

"Hello Bella," Esme greeted back softly as she added some more ingredients to a bowl.

"What are you making today?" the girl inquired as she tried to take a peek. "Cookies?''

The vampire laughed heartily. "No, I'm sorry, but I'm not baking cookies today. Antonio taught me how to make a delicious pasta salad. At least, he says it tastes good."

"Can I try?" Isabella asked, looking at Esme with her big brown eyes.

"Certamente!" Antonio sang as he entered the room. "That is why we made it, principessa!"

Within a minute the girl was sitting at the kitchen island with a bowl of salad in front of her.

"How're Tanya and Rina doing?" Isabella asked as she took a bite.

Tanya and Irina had returned home almost immediately after they had brought Isabella back to the castle. While they had taken a liking to the little girl, they still held grudge against the Volturi coven and they did not want to stay any longer than they had to. Though they were back in Alaska, Carmen had moved to Volterra to stay with her mate. The two of them helped Jasper to train the guard, as they both had a lot of experience.

The departure of Tanya and Irina turned out to be quite fruitless, as Isabella ended up in their garden again a week later. This time Kate and Garrett brought her back, deciding to offer their help there when they heard what exactly was going on. They liked the little girl and they trusted Eleazar, Carmen and the Cullen clan to make sure no one would take advantage of their offer.

"Kate called them yesterday," Esme said as she cleaned the pans she had used. "They are fine, although they do miss their family of course."

"Maybe they will come back soon," Isabella said thoughtfully.

"It could be," the vampire said, smiling. "Now go ahead and finish that salad so you can have some cookies for dessert."

Without saying any more the girl quickly stuffed her mouth full of pasta.

-oOo-

Several weeks before the girl's birthday Alec and Gianna arrived back at the castle. Gianna had passed her newborn phase a few months ago, but the couple had taken some time to themselves before they returned to the castle. Jane was happy to see her brother again, though she of course did not show him so as she greeted him. Isabella noticed it, of course, and she decided to make a note of it to work on it later.

Gianna was a beautiful vampire and she and Alec formed a lovely couple. Though Isabella had frantically hoped and begged for there to be a wedding so she could be the flower girl, neither of the vampires had given in. They did not see the need of such an event, as they saw the love between mates to be much more valuable than the human titles of husband and wife. Luckily for Isabella when Rosalie and Emmett saw how disappointed she was they promised to get married again soon so she could still be a flower girl. Needless to say the girl was ecstatic and she was already busy designing her dress.

It was the discovery of Gianna's gift a few weeks after her return that brought Marcus back to the day Isabella had arrived at the castle.

 _"Changing Gianna is a good plan,"_ she had mumbled as they were on their way to meet Sulpicia and Athenodora. _"Your friend will agree with me."_

When Eleazar had first met the young vampire he immediately got a calculating expression on his face. Gianna had patiently waited for him to elaborate and a few seconds later he had finished assessing her potential.

"It is like ice," he told her. "You can give someone the illusion they are frozen on their spot and cannot move. It means you can petrify someone, whether it is a prey or an opponent. That is a powerful gift, Gianna."

It was quiet for a few seconds before the girl suddenly came barging into the room.

"You're practically like Elsa!" Isabella squealed happily. "I mean, there's no snow and everything, but still!"

While the members of the guard looked at her as if she was crazy, Gianna smiled as she understood the girl was talking about the animated movie.

"Well, maybe I am a little bit like Elsa," she said. "We have to travel to a colder country one day to play with the snow, though."

Isabella smiled and grabbed Giannas hand as she pulled her along into the halls.

Aro was ecstatic that they had added another powerful being to their guard, but he was quickly reprimanded by Marcus. His brother told him to give Gianna a choice in what she wanted to do, instead of immediately assuming she would join them. Marcus's comment really had Aro thinking for a moment.

It was not long before a year had passed without any commotion and it was time for Isabella's sixth birthday. The castle was now inhabited by more vampires than it had ever been, and their daily visitors only added to that number.

Through the months many members of the guard realized what they had been missing out on all those years. While they would have been quarrelling and fighting from boredom already, the newcomers brought lots of fun with them. Now they played other games or organized competitions, holding bets with each other. They were much friendlier towards each other and it was easier for them to accept change.

But even through the fun times they had to be on guard, always being prepared for something to happen. Everyone wanted to know the answer to the question they had been asking themselves for months.

When is he going to strike?

* * *

 _A/N: Hey! Thank you for reading my story! I'm_ _kinda trying to find the balance between not moving the story along and hurrying through it since I want Isabella to grow up, but I hope this was alright ;) Thanks for all your lovely reviews, follows and favourites! Please leave a review to tell me what you think of this chapter! I'll upload again next week :)_

 _\- Laura_

Translations:

 **Certamente!** \- Of course!

 **principessa** \- princess


	16. Chapter 16 - Pixie

**Chapter 16 -** **Pixie**

"Well done, Bella!" Jasper said as he gave the panting girl a high five. "Your skills are improving every day."

Isabella smiled at the blond vampire before she walked over to the wooden bench, which was placed against the wall of the training room. She seated herself next to Demetri, who was guarding her at the moment.

"Just a little more practice until you can take me on," he said, smirking as he handed the girl a bottle of water.

Isabella stuck her tongue out at him before she started gulping down the water. Within a minute the bottle was empty and she sat back, closing her eyes while she sighed in satisfaction. Though the girl loved to train with Jasper, it always completely wore her out.

Once Isabella had hit the age of twelve, she had decided it was time to start some lessons in self-defence and fighting. Though she had grown up in a very safe and protected environment, she liked feeling not completely incompetent. And it was quite handy to know how to defend herself, as she still travelled around sometimes. It always took some time before she could contact the castle and she was alone in the meantime. While she hoped to never need any of her newly acquired knowledge, it was important that she could protect herself, would the need arise.

Marcus had not liked the idea of Isabella fighting, but the girl had not lost her stubbornness through the years. She had a long discussion with the old king in which she pointed out how significant it was for her to learn how to fight. Marcus had not wanted to admit it at first, but the girl did have a point. It took a few days before he reluctantly gave in and Isabella was officially allowed to start training. Later, when he saw the progress she was making, he wondered why they hadn't thought about teaching her how to defend herself earlier.

The girl had gotten the choice who she wanted to be her tutor, whether it would be a human or a vampire. It did not take long for her to decide and Jasper was given the honour of teaching Isabella the basics of self-defence. She turned out to be quite talented and had she been a vampire she would definitely have been a match for several of the guard members.

"Are you all right?" a concerned voice said from above Isabella. The girl slowly opened one eye, spotting Rosalie, who was looking down on her with a concerned expression.

"I'm fine," Isabella said as she sat upright again. "Training just very tiring, it always wears me out."

Rosalie smiled sweetly at the young girl, happy nothing was wrong. "Do you want to go to your room for a minute? You should probably freshen up a bit before having dinner."

Isabella nodded and stood up from the bench, putting her pitch black cloak back around her shoulders. After she said Jasper goodbye she left the training room, following Rosalie up the stairs.

The girl's bedroom was no longer the bright pink it had been before. Isabella had eventually grown out of her 'pink phase' and she had reluctantly admitted it. When Esme found out that the girl wanted to redo her room, she had immediately offered her help. Interior design was a big passion of hers and she would grab any opportunity to create a new room.

She was not the only one, as Heidi was more than happy to help too. The beautiful vampire was relieved when she heard that the girl did not like the, in her opinion hideous, colour of the walls anymore. It took some time before the two vampires could decide what to do with the room, as they had different opinions, but the end product was amazing.

Now the walls were a pretty light blue colour instead, and they got new curtains too. Though Esme and Heidi had wanted to replace the furniture too, Isabella protested as all were still perfectly fine. In the end they had just rearranged the room, though they did add a bookcase though. Isabella loved to read and through the years she had been gifted lots of books which she all stored in her room. The shelves she had were completely filled, but thanks to the new bookcase she now had a lot of extra space for future gifts.

"I'm going to look for Emmett," Rosalie said as they reached the bedroom door. "I'll see you later."

Isabella smiled and waved her blonde friend goodbye before she entered her room. Spotting Jane walking around the corner, she closed the door and opened her closet. After choosing one of the many outfits she moved into the bathroom, where she took off her clothes and stepped into the shower. Isabella sighed in satisfaction as the hot water hit her and soothed her aching muscles. It took her at least half an hour before she could muster up the will to turn off the shower and put on a clean dress. Adjusting the Volturi necklace, which Marcus had gifted her for her tenth birthday, the girl slipped her shoes on and exited the room. Jane followed her as she walked through the halls.

Antonio was already waiting for her in the kitchen, a steaming plate of food in front of him on the kitchen island. "Buonasera, principessa! How are you? Esme prepared your dinner today, with a tiny bit of help from me, and I can assure you it is assolutamente delizioso!"

"Buonasera! I'm fine, just a bit tired," Isabella answered, yawning. "I'm eager to try the food! Any interesting news I might have missed while I was training?"

"I'm afraid not," the cook said with a wink as the girl took a seat on the stool at the kitchen island. "But I did receive the new mixer this afternoon, so you will be able to bake again soon."

The old mixer had broken down when Emmett had joined Esme and Isabella while they were baking together. The burly vampire had begged to be allowed to help, as he always heard how much fun it was. It had turned out to be a very bad idea to give in to his pleas as it had taken the cleaner hours before the room was finally usable again. Antonio had not been amused when they had had to order pizza for the girl that night because they could not enter the kitchen yet. Needless to say Emmett had been forever banned from any future cooking parties after the incident.

"That's awesome, I can't wait to bake some cookies," Isabella said dreamily, taking a bite from the vegetables. "How is little Tony doing, by the way?"

Antonio's eyes lit up and he proceeded to talk about his great grandchild as the girl ate her dinner. The cook had become a great-grandfather a few months before and the precious boy had been named after him, much to his joy. Isabella loved how her old friend would talk about the baby with a lot of pride, and she frequently asked him about Antonio Jr.

After Antonio had shown the girl a picture of little Tony, Isabella smiled and stood up, putting her plate in the sink. "Thank you for the amazing meal!"

"You're welcome! I will tell Esme you enjoyed it," the cook said as he put the pans back in to the cupboard.

The girl waved him goodbye as she skipped over to the door. "I'm going to see if I can find Emmett. Ciao!"

"You do that," Antonio answered. "Make sure he stays out of trouble."

Isabella giggled and walked out of the kitchen into the hallways. It had taken her some time to be able to find her way through the hundreds of corridors on her own, but through the years she had come to know the halls pretty well. Right now she was on her way to the entrance of the courtyard, Jane following close behind. Isabella was hoping to find Emmett outside, but when she walked into the garden her friend was nowhere to be found. Rosalie had probably taken her husband to their house on the outskirts of Volterra.

Sighing Isabella turned around, she had hoped to spend some time with Emmett today. Her training in combination with her usual lessons took up a lot of time and energy, and it had been a while since they had fun together. The burly vampire had complained about it the day before, and she wished he had still been here so they could have caught up.

Right as the girl was about the leave the courtyard someone called her name. "Bella!"

She turned around and her face lit up as she saw a certain blond vampire sitting on a bench next to the tree.

"Hey!" Isabella said, grinning as she walked over. She waved Jane goodbye before she turned back around. "Hiding from the evil little pixie?"

Jasper chuckled and shook his head as he held up the book he had been reading. It was about strategy, as usual. "Just taking a break."

"Yeah, right," the girl answered, sitting down next to the vampire. "As if you can get tired."

"Maybe things are not physically exhausting, but mentally is a whole other story," Jasper said with a southern drawl. "And if you were searching for Emmett; Rosalie took him to go hunting."

Isabella sighed. "That's a shame, I was hoping we could spend some time together. It has been a while."

"Maybe we should take some time of training?" the blond vampire suggested. "You have to have time to do something fun too, next to the lessons you follow every day. It won't hurt to stop for a while, you have learned enough of the basics in the past few months."

The girl looked quite conflicted.

"Think about it, if you will. You've had enough training to know how to kill that vamp yourself," Jasper added with a wink.

"I can't kill him," Isabella answered, frowning as she fidgeted with her hands.

"Now, don't be so insecure," the vampire said, turning around so he was facing the girl. "I meant what I said-"

"No, I mean that I literally can't," Isabella interrupted him. "I cannot kill. Well, I can't kill with the intention of killing."

Jasper sat still, his mind going at a hundred miles a minute. How come they did not know this before? It was a development he did not like at all.

The blond vampire kept pondering over this new information, sitting in the garden long after the girl had left to go to bed.

Could Isabella not even kill if it was the only way to stay alive?

-oOo-

"But it will be so much fun," Alice whined as Isabella kept shaking her head. From the moment she had entered the kitchen to get some breakfast the pixie had been bugging her about going shopping. She did not understand where Alice's sudden determination to spend time with her came from, but she did not exactly welcome the change. Usually the tiny woman kept to herself, only occasionally talking to the girl. And even then it was mostly about fashion or her gift, which she was apparently obsessed with.

Though Isabella did like to go shopping with Heidi or Aunt Sulpicia sometimes, it was not something she did often and she was most definitely not going with Alice. When they exchanged three sentences the woman already acted as if they were best friends. She would start talking about their gifts, and how funny it was that they were so much alike.

Their gifts might seem similar, but they were very different. And it was absolutely no reason for Isabella to start liking the pixie.

"I said no, Alice, I'm not going to the shopping centre with you," Isabella sighed for the hundredth time. The discussion had taken away her appetite and she pushed her half-eaten bowl with cereal away. She wished someone would rescue her from the little vampire's wrath, but it seemed she was out of luck today. Antonio had the day off, as he was visiting his great-grandchild and when the girl glanced at Emmett she saw he was silently laughing at her. Glaring at him she turned back; chances were big she would have to talk herself out of it.

"You should ask someone else, because I'm not coming with you," Isabella said.

"Then what about a makeover? We could go up to your room and-"

"I said no," the girl answered, stressing her words. This was getting very irritating now and she wished Alice would just leave her alone. She was not in the mood for more discussions today. Decidedly Isabella stood up from her stool and put her bowl into the sink. "I'm going to the training room."

"But-"

"I'm leaving," Isabella said as she turned around. Right as she stepped over the threshold of the kitchen she felt a cold hand on her arm. Oh, she was not going to have any of that, now the evil little pixie had gone too far. Within the blink of an eye the girl had twisted the arm behind the back of the vampire with a surprising amount of strength.

"Do not touch me," Isabella hissed angrily, her eyes blazing with fire. Before Alice could react the girl left the room, storming through the hallways towards the training room.

Jasper looked up from his conversation with Jane in surprise when the doors slammed open and a wave of fury rolled his way.

"What..." he trailed of as he caught sight of the teenager, who was looking as if she could explode any moment now. It surprised him greatly to see her in this state; Isabella mostly was very peaceful and happy. It was something that came with her heritage it seemed. Though she was angry sometimes, just like any other person would be, he had probable only once or twice before seen her this furious. One of those times being when Emmett had hidden her chocolate supply.

"I thought you would stop training for a while?" Felix asked as he walked up to the girl.

"If I don't work out right now I might be tempted to blow up something. Or even better, someone," Isabella said, angrily glaring at him.

The three vampires looked at the girl with wide eyes. What on earth had happened?

They did not have to wait too long for an answer, as Emmett entered the room, looking quite guilty. Isabella turned around and sighed, her temper calming a little at the sight of her friend with some help of Jasper.

"You could've at least tried to help me," she said, taking off her black cloak and throwing it to the side.

Emmett snorted. "Like that would've worked."

"Someone care to enlighten us?" Jasper asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Your wife thought it was fun to ask Bella to go shopping," Emmett explained. When he saw his brother did not understand the problem he added, "About a hundred times or so, as Bells did not give in."

"I thought you enjoyed going shopping?" Jasper asked confused as he looked at Isabella.

The girl sighed as she put her hair up in a ponytail. "Sometimes yes, but not all the time. And most of all I hate to be pulled around, which is exactly what Alice likes to do, if I can trust Rosalie's words."

"Hmm," Jasper hummed. "She can be a little... enthusiastic from time to time, that is true. But please give her a chance; she would love to spend time with you too. She often hears Rosalie talk about your time together, and I believe she would love to join you some time. That way you can also see for yourself whether you could survive shopping with her."

"I can't promise anything, but I'll try, at least," Isabella said after a moment of silence. "But first I would like to work out for a bit."

As Jasper talked to Emmett for a minute, Jane walked up to the twelve-year old girl. The two of them were almost the same height now, something Isabella usually bugged the twin about when she was in a better mood.

"Do you need me to go after the pixie?" Jane asked, an evil glint in her eyes.

Isabella was tempted to accept the offer, but Jasper shot her a pleading look. Sighing she shook her head as she remembered her promise of giving Alice a chance. "No thank you, but it's all right. I'll deal with her later."

After shooting a glare at Jasper, Jane left the room. It would have been nice to make someone scream in pain.

-oOo-

"We will send someone to take a look at the situation," Aro said, letting the nomads out of the conference room. "Thank you for the information."

The woman was fidgeting nervously, she clamped on to her mate as they walked through the halls towards the exit of the castle. The sun had set a few hours ago, which meant that they were able to leave immediately. It had been a while since the two nomads had been in a civilized environment for such a long time and it made them quite uncomfortable. Usually would not even have taken this much effort to come to Volterra, but what they had seen was important enough to report to their self-proclaimed kings.

After the nomads had left the room Marcus sighed, putting his head in his hands as Aro sat back down at the table. Years ago, at Isabella's suggestion, they had moved their meetings and hearings to a conference room instead of the throne room. The girl had thought it was stupid and slightly egotistical to put themselves on thrones, above the others. It had made them realize that they had a lot more issues to work on. But currently they had other problems to focus on; it seemed that trouble was arising in the supernatural world.

"More and more nomads are coming to report to us," Aro said as looked at the map in front of him. He frowned as he thought back to all visitors they had had in the past month only. It was quite worrying to hear all the stories about trouble flaring up all over the world. Though at first sight the events did not seem to be connected, the kings had knowledge others did not have. They did not have a good feeling about it at all.

Next to the arising trouble outside of Volterra, Aro had also noticed that Isabella's mood had gotten worse. The girl had been getting more and more uncomfortable and she was lashing out at others more often. The sudden change in her behaviour worried him greatly.

"Did they have any information we have not heard before?" Carlisle asked the three brothers as he entered the room.

"No, not at all," Aro said frustrated, taking a stack of papers from Caius. "They all know the same; there are sounds, smoke and peculiar scents near human civilizations. None are close enough for the humans to notice. In the past we would not even have bothered to investigate it."

"All reports are on different countries around the world, too," Marcus added as he looked through the folder lying in front of him. "If we had not known of the existence and the plans of the ancient vampire, we would just have assumed all trouble originated from different sources."

"Even now we do not know for sure whether it all events are related or not," Caius said angrily. "It could be that we are completely wrong when we assume there is a connection."

Carlisle slowly sat down at the table, deep in thought. "The events do seem too much alike not to be connected, in my opinion. Though I do think we should keep an open mind, it would be wrong not to look for similarities."

"But how is it that we are able to find a reason to connect the happenings?" Marcus questioned. "I would think that an ancient vampire with age-old knowledge would not be this obvious in his actions, now would he?"

"Which is why we have to look into it," Aro said, looking up at his brothers. "Though I would like the castle to be as protected as it can be, it is wise to send a group of guards. They can conduct research about a few of the more recent reports. I know the guards who arrived back last week did not find any answers, but it could not hurt to try again."

"I agree," Caius said as he stood up from his chair and started pacing through the room. "I do think we should send a bigger group this time. That way they will be able to protect themselves better, if necessary."

Marcus nodded in agreement before he turned around. "Carlisle, could you please ask Jasper to form a new group?"

The golden-eyed vampire nodded and left the room, the door closing behind him with a loud thud. It was silent for a minute as the three brothers looked at each other, worry present in their eyes.

"I think it is time we strengthen the protection of the castle," Aro suddenly said decidedly. "We have to be prepared."

-oOo-

"Really?" Alice asked grinning widely as she looked at the girl. "You will let me join?"

Isabella nodded without much enthusiasm while Rosalie looked as if she had been personally insulted. The girl had taken Jasper's words from the day before to heart and she was trying to get over her aversion of Alice. This far she had not had much success, as she noticed she would already start to get irritated when the woman entered a room. Now she was trying a different approach; giving in to Alice's pleas. The pixie had practically invited herself into coming and having 'girl time' with Isabella and Rosalie, and for once the girl had accepted it. She just prayed she would survive the afternoon.

"Sure," Isabella said, looking down at her feet. "Anyway, Rose and I were about to go, so if you want to come..."

Rosalie shot the girl a look before she sighed and led the other two down the stairs. When they arrived in the basement of the castle Alice looked around. They continued to walk before the pixie suddenly stood still.

"Where are we going?" she asked the others, looking around with a confused expression. "I thought you always spent this time in your bedroom."

Surprised Isabella turned around. "Wait, did you think we do each other's makeup and hair while singing corny songs when we are having 'girl time'?"

As she saw the answer clearly displayed on Alice's face she had to hold in her breath as not to burst out laughing. It maybe wasn't very nice, but the look the pixie was giving her was quite funny.

"I'm really sorry to disappoint you, but that is not what we do," Isabella said, glancing over at Rosalie. "The last time we did that I was eight."

It all was clear now; Isabella had not understood why the woman wanted so desperately to join her and Rosalie in this particular activity. Alice was always so clean and fashion-oriented and it had not seemed like something she would do. But as Isabella was trying not to judge, she had let it go for now.

"What is it you do then?" Alice asked nervously. She did not like to go in to things 'blind', especially as she did not know what to expect at the moment. She had been quite certain about her guess to the activities the two others underwent, but now it seemed she had not been right at all.

Rosalie, who had been watching the interaction with slight amusement, walked forward and opened the door. It turned out to be an entrance to a huge garage completely filled with both older and newer cars, much to Alice's surprise. Tools were scattered all over the floor and Felix was standing next to the wooden workbench.

"You-" Alice started.

"Yes, Rose and I work on the cars here," Isabella answered, trying to keep a straight face. "Why else do you think we are wearing these clothes? Auntie Picia would kill me if I got my good outfit dirty."

Alice stood there, gaping for a minute, before she composed herself. She looked over the clothes that Rosalie and Isabella were wearing and noticed that they were indeed not their usual attire. The girl's jeans had paint splattered all over them, and Rosalie had an older shirt on. It was a big contrast if you compared it to the pristine shirt and skirt she was wearing.

This would for sure be an interesting day.

* * *

 _A/N: Hey there! I could not quite get this chapter right at first, but this is what I ended up with today ;) Is Alice getting on your nerve yet? I don't reckon that the pixie's endless persuading and the teenager's temper go well together :) And trouble is starting to arise in Vamp land, which also does not seem to help Isa's mood very much..._

 _Thank you to everyone reading my story, and a special thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter! Please tell me if you spot any mistakes and make sure to leave a review to let me know what you think of this new chapter. Now I'm going to hide out in my bed, I'll just see you again next week... ;)_

 _\- Laura_

Translations:

 **Buonosera!** \- Good evening!

 **Ciao!** \- Bye!

 **assolutamente delizioso!** \- absolutely delicious!


	17. Chapter 17 - Shopping

**Chapter 17 - Shopping**

"Can you hand me the wrench, Rose?" Isabella said. Her voice was muffled as she held out her hand from under the car. In the blink of an eye she felt the cold metal on her fingers and after a quick thank you she continued her work.

The afternoon had just begun and the two girls were working in the garage again. In the past few days they had spent quite some time here, checking and upgrading a few of the older cars that had been sitting inside for years now. They were relaxed as they talked about the latest happenings of the castle.

Isabella was relieved that it was just the two of them again. After that one afternoon last week Alice had decided that their definition of 'girl time' was not something for her. Though Isabella felt slightly guilty about not spending more time with the pixie, she felt more comfortable with just Rosalie nearby.

The years of practise and lessons in car maintenance had not been for nothing. Her blonde friend was a great teacher and with her guidance the girl was working on a car all alone for the first time. When the last bolt was in place she got out from under the vehicle, wiping away the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand. "Done."

Rosalie was standing at the workbench and turned around. She smiled when she saw Isabella looking at her; smeared across the girl's forehead was a black stain. The blonde took a towel out of the cupboard and walked over to Isabella. After she helped the girl to stand up she started to scrub away the black smudge.

"Rose, come on," Isabella protested, but the vampire continued her mothering until the girl's face was as good as clean again.

"I can't let you go back into the castle with a stained face," Rosalie said as she threw the towel into a bucket. "Especially not since we're expecting guests to arrive any moment now."

"I am taking a shower anyway," the girl sighed, but she did not protest any further when Rosalie instructed her to wash her hands before they left the garage.

Last week Tanya and Irina Denali had announced that they would soon come and pay a visit to see how their family was doing. Kate had been ecstatic when she found out her sisters were on their way, as it had been a while since they last saw each other. The two Denali's could arrive any moment now and the others from their coven were patiently waiting for them.

Though Isabella was excited to see her friends again, she had other plans and she was not sure whether she would be back in time to welcome them. Tomorrow morning she would meet up with Heidi, and the two of them were going shopping in Florence. They had wanted to go for a while, ever since her uncles finally gave their approval, but the weather never allowed it until this week. It had been cloudy all day today, and the forecast predicted that the sun would stay away for at least a few more days.

The lights in the hallways were on, spreading a soft light so Isabella could see where she was heading. While they wandered through the corridors Isabella happily hummed a tune. Suddenly the girl stood still, having to hold on to the wall to keep her balance as she was hit with a tingling feeling all over her body.

Rosalie watched with a worried expression as a bunch of different emotions flew across Isabella's face. As quick as it had started it had stopped again, and the girl blinked, shaking her head as if to get rid of her thoughts.

"What is wrong?" Rosalie asked concerned while Isabella started walking again.

"What?" the girl said confused, her head shooting up to her blonde friend.

"You just stood still. Is something going on or-"

"Oh, that," Isabella interrupted quickly. "It's nothing, everything fine."

Rosalie looked at the girl, baffled at her denying behaviour. It was very different from how she usually acted and the blonde woman wanted to ask her again, but thought better of it at the last moment. Hopefully Isabella would decide to come to her, or anyone else for that matter, if she would like to talk. Rosalie decided she would just keep an extra close eye on the girl for the next few days.

"All right," the blonde vampire said as they reached Isabella's bedroom. "But know I'm here if you want to talk."

Isabella nodded and smiled sadly at her friend before she entered her room alone. She would love to talk with someone about these uncomfortable feelings she was experiencing, but how would she be able to explain something she did not even understand herself?

-oOo-

"Buonasera!" Isabella said as she entered the kitchen. Antonio had just cooked dinner and he wiped his hands with the dishtowel before he picked the plate he had prepared.

"Good evening, principessa," the cook said, motioning for the girl to sit down. Isabella smiled and thanked him after he placed the heavenly smelling plate of food in front of her.

"I heard you have planned a nice trip for tomorrow?" Antonio asked, looking at the girl.

"Yes, I'm going shopping with Heidi," Isabella said as she took a sip of her water. "We have wanted to go for a while, but my uncles did not want me to go at first. And the weather will be good in the next few days, so we won't have problems with the sun."

The cook hummed and wiped the countertops clean. "It sounds like you will be having a lot of fun, then. Events always tend to be better if you live towards them."

"That's true," the girl said. "What are you doing tomorrow? Do you have a few days off when I'm gone?"

"Sì," Antonio answered, refilling Isabella's empty glass. "I will probably walk around in the town, take a look in the shops, I need to buy some new clothes too. Other than that I will just be sitting outside in my garden, maybe even with a good book and _un bicchiere de vino_."

"That sounds great," the girl smiled before she took a bite of her food. As she was finishing her dinner Antonio wrote down some instructions on a piece of paper, which he put in front of her.

"I will not be here tomorrow morning, but you can make pancakes if you like," the cook explained while Isabella put her plate into the sink.

"I would love to make pancakes for breakfast" she said before she spotted her aunt, who was standing in the doorway. "I believe I have to go now. I hope you have fun tomorrow! I will see you again in a few days."

"Thank you, principessa," Antonio said, smiling at the girl. "Now go on and follow your aunt before she comes in and gets you. Ciao!"

"Ciao!" Isabella said as she walked up to Aunt Sulpicia. Together they left the kitchen, walking next to each other in silence. When they turned around the corner the girl yawned; the exhaustion of the day was finally catching up with her.

"It is time for you to rest, Isabella," Sulpicia said, shooting a look at the girl. "Tomorrow will be a long day and you will need your energy."

"I know," Isabella answered as they reached her bedroom. "I'm gonna change and jump in bed as quick as I can. I'll come and say goodbye before we leave tomorrow morning."

"I shall see you then," the queen said as Chelsea arrived and positioned herself next to the bedroom door. "Have a good night of sleep."

"Goodnight," Isabella said, waving at her aunt before she closed the door.

-oOo-

"It is getting worse by the day," Aro sighed as he put his head in his hands. They had just talked to two nomads who had come to report disturbance in India. The uncivilized vampires had not been the first visitors today, as they had welcomed two other pairs of nomads earlier. One told them about trouble in Australia, the other had noticed it in Germany.

"You are right," Caius said as he plotted the new areas on the map on the wall. Most of the other areas had already researched by the guard, but no one had been able to find anything of the reported trouble. Either the person behind it all was very good at hiding it, or they simply arrived too late to see anything. But if even the nomads noticed it, the latter option was the obvious one.

"There is nothing we can do if we do not know the source of the trouble," Marcus said. "But we cannot miss any more guard members. We will not be able to do research at the newly reported areas as quick as we should. We have already sent away more people than we would have liked."

"It seems to be moving closer as well," Caius noted as he nodded towards the map. "Germany is the closest place we know of so far, we should keep an eye on that."

"In the meantime our dear Isabella is getting more restless," Aro added, sharing a look with his brothers.

"That is why it is important for her to get some relaxation," Sulpicia said as she entered the room, Athenodora following close behind. "It was good to allow her to go and have some fun with shopping tomorrow. Hopefully it will help her to forget about all the trouble for a bit. The poor child is only twelve and she already has to deal with such problems."

"No child should have to worry about the troubles of adults," Athenodora said. "But sometimes they get dragged into them without a choice."

The three kings nodded as the queens seated themselves opposite of their mates.

"I still feel not quite comfortable with the idea of Isabella leaving the castle in such times," Marcus sighed.

"I understand, but she needs to have time to relax," Sulpicia said. "It is not easy for her to do that here."

The brothers had noticed as well that the tension in the castle was rising, and the training rooms were being used excessively. Everyone could sense something big coming up, which created a restless atmosphere. Though Isabella was still a true source of happiness, the arising trouble had dampened her mood significantly. She might have an ancient soul, in the end she still was a child.

"At least she will have Heidi and Demetri with her," Aro added, looking at his brother.

"I wish it were different, I wish she did not have to worry this much," Marcus sighed. "But there is nothing more we can do than try to protect her."

"And we will protect her," Athenodora said, her eyes fierce. "With everything we have."

-oOo-

"Heidi?" Isabella asked carefully as she spotted the beautiful vampire who was waiting for her.

"Bella! There you are!" Heidi said happily, pulling the girl in a hug before they started walking down the hallway. "Alice and I already prepared the car, we are ready to go!"

"Wait, what!" Isabella said as she halted. "Since when is Alice coming with us on this trip? I thought you did not like her. In fact, you told me so a week ago!"

Heidi turned around and smiled. "We started talking yesterday and we just bonded! Did you know she has three fashion degrees? By the way, we have to go to America sometime to go shopping; Alice says the choices are amazing there!"

"Sure," Isabella drawled as she looked at the blonde vampire with a scrutinizing gaze. "And you have invited her to our shopping day without asking me first what I would think about it?"

A guilty expression flew across Heidi's face. "I'm sorry, but she just really wanted to come with us. And didn't you promise Jasper to try and spend some time with her?"

"How did you-" the girl started before she stopped herself. "Never mind. News travels fast in the castle, doesn't it? Fine, she can come with us, but please warn me earlier the next time."

Heidi squealed happily and rushed onwards, Isabella following her close behind. What was it that had Heidi suddenly so happy? Never before had the girl seen her like this. If she didn't know better she would have thought that by the way the vampire was behaving she was on drugs of some sort.

"Oh, wait!" Isabella suddenly said as she halted in the middle of the hallway. "I still have to say goodbye to everyone!"

Heidi sighed and shot an irritated look at the girl. She was not happy with this delay; it took away from the time they had to go shopping. But she knew Isabella would do what she wanted anyway, so they turned around and walked back into the castle.

Inside Isabella stood still for a moment with closed eyes, before she opened them again. Smiling she started to lead them to the conference room. Sure enough Aro, Caius, Marcus and the two queens were sitting around the table, together with Carlisle and Jasper.

"Hello, Isabella!" Marcus said when he looked up from the papers. "What is it we can help you with?"

"I'm just here to say goodbye," the girl explained as she walked over and hugged him. "We will be leaving for Florence in a moment, and I don't know when exactly we will return. You never know how much time it takes to go shopping."

"We will be back in the castle within two days," Heidi said, nodding solemnly.

Jasper was watching the beautiful vampire with a funny look on his face, but quickly smiled as he received a hug from Isabella.

"Have fun!" Sulpicia said as she kissed the girl on her cheek. "You can buy anything you want. You do need some new clothes, as you are growing out of your old ones already. Don't forget to take the credit card with you, and know you can always call us when something is wrong."

Isabella smiled as she shook her head at her aunt's rambling. She said goodbye to the others as well before she and Heidi left the room again.

This time they walked straight to the garage. When they arrived Alice was already waiting for them. The little pixie was standing in front of the car, her foot tapped impatiently as she was typing away on her phone.

"Alice!" Heidi squealed loudly as she shot forward. The tiny vampire quickly put her phone away before she smiled at Heidi. To Isabella's surprise the two women hugged before they kissed each other on the cheeks; a true Italian greeting of two friends.

While they greeted each other the girl was looking around, frowning. "Is Demetri not coming with us?"

"No, since Alice is here he did not have to come," Heidi explained. "The kings are of the opinion that two vampires offer enough protection. And of course Demetri was more than happy to skip this shopping trip."

Isabella looked at the beautiful vampire with a baffled expression on her face. Did Heidi truly think that the pixie was an appropriate substitute for Demetri? The woman must have gone mental, but if her uncles had agreed there was little Isabella could do. She did wish Demetri could have a free day, but it was quite a difference to have Alice with them instead of the strong burly vampire.

"What took you so long? I have been waiting here for ages!" Alice said, motioning for the other two to get into the car. As Isabella climbed into the back seat Heidi opened the door to the passenger's side.

"Bella had to get ready first," the beautiful vampire said. "And when we finally were on our way we had to go back because she forgot to say goodbye to everyone."

"Well, at least you're here now!" Alice said with a big smile. "This is going to be such a fun day!"

-oOo-

For a normal person – one without a death wish - it takes about one and a half hour to reach Florence, but thanks to the pixie's dangerous driving skills they arrived within fifty minutes. Though Isabella did not usually get carsick, she had to sit still in the car for minute before she was able to gather herself enough to get out. The sharp turns and speed with which Alice drove did not do much good to her stomach. She had eaten her breakfast not long ago and she was trying really hard to keep the food in her body.

Heidi was watching the girl with a concerned expression, wondering if there was something she could to help. Luckily the nausea passed within a few minutes and Isabella was able to climb out of the car. She had to hold on to the door until she regained her balance, breathing in the fresh air. When she finally stood up straight again the two other women were already on their way to the first shop. The girl sighed before she picked up her bag and quickly walked over.

"We have to go here first!" Alice squealed as she pulled both Heidi and Isabella along into the first shop they encountered. The shelves were filled from top to bottom with boxes with designer shoes. As the two vampires looked at the hundreds of different options, the girl made her way over to the sneakers. Comfortable and convenient was what she wanted. There was no use in walking on heels if you could have some sneakers instead.

The next few hours were spent in and out of the shops; both Alice and Heidi pushing clothes they thought were cute for Isabella into her arms. As the day went on the shopping streets got busier and the queues at the fitting rooms grew. Isabella did find some things she liked, but most of the clothes she 'totally had to try on' because they would 'look amazing on her' she put back.

Honestly, she had expected Heidi to know her better, as she had been shopping with the girl for years already. Usually the clothes the beautiful vampire would pick were her style and for someone her age. None of the clothes Isabella had been handed today were appropriate for a twelve year old. She was sure if she came back home wearing them Marcus would ground her until she was thirty.

It was getting quite late, and Isabella was dead on her feet. While the vampires did not have to rest and sleep, she most certainly did and it was time they would head towards the hotel. Both Alice and Heidi seemed surprised, but they did not complain when the girl all but dragged them out of the shopping streets.

They were on their way back to the car when Heidi spotted another cute clothes shop. Though Isabella told her they could just come back tomorrow, Heidi would have none of that. So they compromised; it would be the last shop for the day and tomorrow Isabella would get free reign in saying where they would be going.

As Heidi browsed through the many racks of clothes, Isabella sat down on a bench near the fitting rooms, letting her feet rest for a bit. Alice stayed close, looking through a pile of tops which were lying on a table nearby. Suddenly the girl heard a sound and before she could have even blinked Alice had her phone in her hand. As the pixie read the text she grinned at the screen before she typed an answer. Putting her phone away she looked up, her gaze falling on Isabella who was watching her.

"That was Jasper," Alice explained with an uneasy smile when she noticed the girl was looking at her.

Isabella raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? That's curious. He told me that his phone was crushed during his duel with Jane yesterday."

"Well, uhm," the pixie said, her eyes wide as she tried to come up with an excuse. "He, he borrowed Edward's to text me."

"That message must've been extremely important then, if he has gone through so much effort," the girl mumbled, her eyes squeezed shut as she analyzed Alice. The pixie turned away quickly and started rumbling through the rack of clothes.

Suddenly Isabella's instincts flared up. She immediately knew she had to get out of here; otherwise things would go wrong, extremely wrong. The girl had been on the edge for months now, the uneasy feeling constantly present, as if to tell her that something was going to happen soon. Uncle Aro knew, of course, as he was keeping a close eye on her while more and more nomads came and went from the castle. Though it had only been a very uncomfortable feeling before, right now it felt as if there was something crawling under her skin. Her entire body was screaming for her to get away.

Alice was acting extremely suspicious, and Heidi was not acting like her usual self. It seemed it was only getting worse with every minute they spent away from the castle.

She was alone in this, and it dawned on her how stupid it had been to leave with the two women that morning. She had wanted to get over her dislike of Alice so bad that she had ignored the important warnings her body had given her. As she looked back on the few times they spent together she understood it was not just that she didn't like the pixie's character. Her gift had been acting up all this time, her body had been warning her all along. But her soft character made that she had wanted a clear reason as to why she did not like Alice, and she had not been given one. Now she was here, in the middle of a mess which only seemed to grow with every second. How on earth was she going to get out of this?

Isabella sighed shakily, trying not to show her nerves as she spoke up again. "Can you give me a minute, Alice?"

The pixie looked up at the girl, an alarmed look on her face. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"I just need to use the bathroom," Isabella explained, nodding at the sign next to the staff's entrance in the back of the store.

"Oh!" Alice said relieved. "I can come with you. I have to touch up my make-up anyway."

Innerly Isabella cursed herself. She had hoped, of course, but she was not going to get rid of the pixie very easily. As she looked down at her feet she remembered the bag she had taken with her that morning. Another plan quickly formed inside her head and she looked up at the pixie with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"That's alright," the girl said. "Let's go."

Alice smiled widely, showing off her sharp white teeth. Isabella stood up from the bench before she walked to the back of the shop.

Right as she wanted to open the door to the bathroom she felt a cold hand on her arm. Isabella turned around, wanting to know what was wrong. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening, but before she could scream for help there was a hand on her mouth, effectively stopping any sound from escaping.

* * *

 _A/N: Isa is in danger... What will happen now?_

 _Thank you for reading my story! Please let me know what you think of this new chapter. I am leaving on vacation to Germany with my family in a few days, so I don't know if I'll be able to upload next week, but I'll try :) See you next time!_

 _\- Laura_

Translations:

 **Buonasera!** \- Good evening!

 **principessa** \- princess

 **Sì** \- Yes

 **un bicchiere de vino** \- a glass of wine

 **Ciao!** \- Bye!


	18. Chapter 18 - Castle

**Chapter 18 - Castle**

"I am sorry, Masters, but we have not found anything," Felix said, offering his hand to Aro. The king took it and closed his eyes as he browsed through the memories and thoughts of the past week. Just like Felix had said the reported area was completely vacant of vampires. In fact, it had been eerily quiet the entire time as the guard members had done their research.

"Was there no sound at all?" Aro asked as he looked up at the four vampires who were standing in front of him.

"There was silence only," Alec confirmed. "No creatures, supernatural or not, could be found in the surroundings. Not until miles away from the area we were researching."

"That is a new development, isn't it?" Jasper noted as he looked up from his papers.

"The areas we checked before did indeed still have signs of life," Alec said, motioning to the map on the wall. "Unlike this one we could hear things other than our own breathing and footsteps. To be honest, the silence was kind of creepy. While we were there it felt like something was hanging in the air, weighing down on us, so to say."

Aro hummed in acknowledgement as he pondered on this change. "Thank you for this information. The others are still not back from their research, so you will stay in the castle for some time. We will wait for them to return before we send you out again."

After his words were said Alec, Gianna and Felix left the room. Jane stayed behind, looking around.

"What is it we can do for you, Jane?" Marcus asked, watching the blonde curiously.

"I was wondering whether you know where Isabella resides at the moment. She sent me a message a while ago, telling me she needed to talk to me when I returned," Jane said as she held her phone up.

"She went out with Heidi and Demetri this morning," Marcus answered.

The blonde vampire frowned at him. "We just passed Demetri in the hallway as we were heading here."

All vampires present in the conference room froze for a full minute before Caius broke the silence. "Maybe Isabella decided not to leave after all? However, we have not seen her at all since this morning."

"Jane, would you mind searching for Demetri and bringing him to us?" Aro asked the guard member. Jane nodded and immediately left through the door, wandering the corridors in search of the tracker. The tension in the room was rising, and Jasper started shifting in his seat at the uncomfortable atmosphere.

It took half an hour for Jane to return with Demetri on her tail, looking very confused. At the king's suggestion both of the guard members sat down at the table. Aro had the feeling Jane would like to be present for this interrogation.

"Do you know where Isabella is? If she is not with you, who is it she spending time with at the moment?" Caius inquired, leaning forward towards the burly vampire.

"Bella? This morning at seven Heidi told me they were going to watch a movie instead of shopping today. Bella was not feeling well," Demetri explained as he looked at the three kings. He did not understand why he had so suddenly been brought here. He knew for sure he had not done anything wrong, but his masters were watching him closely as if he had committed a serious crime. "What is wrong, if I may ask?

"Isabella was here around eight o'clock to say us goodbye, " Marcus said, his eyes widening in realization. "She was definitely not ill, or else we would have noticed. What have we missed? Where is she now?"

The Volturi sat frozen on their spots as they thought about Marcus's words. It was a knock on the door which broke them out of their stupor. When Jane opened the door Esme walked in, sitting down in the chair next to Carlisle. It was only then that she realized that the tension in the room was very high, and she looked around with a frown.

Carlisle greeted his mate and hugged her close. "Was there something you wanted to ask?"

Esme nodded. "I wanted if anyone knows when the girls will return? I have a new project I would like to tell Heidi about, and Alice's packages arrived at the house this morning."

"Alice?" everyone asked as one.

"What has Alice got to do with this? She told me she was staying home today, she had to work on the dress she is designing. She got an important order which she had to finish before tomorrow," Jasper said confused, shifting in his seat uncomfortably.

"I am a hundred percent sure Alice is not at home," Esme answered as she looked up. "She left an hour after you did. She said she was going shopping with Heidi and Isabella."

It was quiet for a moment before everyone started talking to each other.

"Silence, please!" Aro called. The murmuring quieted down until it was silent again. Everyone was now looking at the king, who took a deep breath before he spoke up again. "If we want to solve this misunderstanding we have to do it together."

"You are right," Marcus said. "But where do we start?"

"Jasper, are you all right?" Carlisle suddenly asked. Everyone turned around to see the blond vampire staring at the wall, his pupils were completely dilated. Jasper quickly closed his eyes and shook his head.

"I'm fine," he said, but as the words left his mouth everyone in the room was hit with a strong wave of restlessness.

"Wow," Demetri muttered, the feeling diappearing again as quick as it had started. "What the hell was that?"

Caius had been sitting around for too long now and he thought it was time for some action. "It is not important at the moment. What is important, however, is the fact that Isabella is most likely in danger at this very moment."

"Do we know for sure if Alice or Heidi is meaning to hurt Bella?" Esme asked, her eyes wide. "For all we know this is just a misunderstanding. Couldn't it just have been a last minute decision?"

"We have heard three different stories, which all don't add up. I am quite sure this is not a simple misunderstanding," Jasper said. "If Heidi and Alice wanted to go shopping and keep Isabella safe, they would have asked Demetri to come with them, regardless if they had first told him they were not leaving after all. And as I said before, Alice had to finish a dress today. She would most definitely never voluntarily deliver an order late to her clients, even not if she could go shopping instead of spending her time working."

"We have to do something at this very instant. We must find out where they reside at the moment," Marcus said, the realization that Isabella was not safe hitting him hard.

Aro took in a deep breath before he started ordering people around. "Demetri and Jane, please find Felix and ask around the castle when they last saw Isabella. We have to know whether or not they left this morning, and where to."

"I will find Emmett and Rosalie," Jasper said as he stood up. "Emmett can hack the security cameras of any place, we will check out all video footage near the route they would have taken."

"I can't believe Heidi got caught up in this," Demetri muttered, his hands in his hair. "I would have never expected this from her. She did seem very fidgety when I spoke to her this morning, but I thought she was just looking forward to watching a movie with Bella or something. I never understand women anyway."

Jasper, who was already standing at the door, about to leave, slowly turned around. "Heidi was fidgety?"

When Demetri nodded a pensive look struck Jasper's face.

"She was feeling quite interesting this morning when Isabella was here to say goodbye," he said with a drawl after a few seconds had passed. "It wasn't quite excitement, as I had expected her to feel, but it was not nervousness either."

"What are you implying?" Carlisle asked, frowning.

"I mean her feelings were not true to how they should've been that moment," Jasper answered. "Someone has to have tempered with them in some way."

"I have read Heidi's thoughts frequently since she joined us, she was never opposed to sharing her memories," Aro said. "I have never noticed anything suspicious. There was nothing she was trying to hide and I was able to see the memories of her entire day without any problems."

Caius nodded, deep in thought. "And you must also have read Alice's thoughts in all these years she spent with us."

Aro stood still for a moment before he reacted. "Actually, I have never had the chance to read her thoughts. There were, of course, times we touched, but she always wore gloves during those moments."

"That can't be a coincidence," Jasper said. "But I have never noticed her emotions being off. Maybe someone should find Edward; he could probably help us out with this."

"We can talk about this more later on," Carlisle said as he looked around. "First we should focus on the important part; we have to find out where Isabella is. When we know more we can go after her and make sure she is safe."

After everyone had been sent away on their tasks the three kings slowly sat back in their chairs, trying to process all events which were unfolding. Though they had been prepared for an attack, they had never expected it to come from someone in their secluded circle of confidants. Above all they had never expected Heidi to be involved.

"The plans we have been preparing all these years might as well be thrown away immediately," Aro sighed, motioning to the pile of paper on the table.

"Why should we do that?" Marcus inquired.

"Do you not see the complications we now have to deal with?" the king asked as he looked his brother in the eye. "Alice and Heidi know of our plans and have most likely passed it on to their superior, whoever that might be. We cannot carry it out as the opposition now knows what to expect. We have to start all over again."

Caius looked up from the book in front of him as he grinned. "I would not worry about that too much."

His two brothers watched him with confused expressions as he stood up and walked up to the cupboard against the wall. Caius opened the drawer on the far left and pushed a button in the back. The drawer slid forward and revealed a huge map filled with pages, which he picked up before he closed everything again. The blond-haired king slammed the pile of papers on the table. "Here you go."

"What is the meaning of this?" Aro asked, browsing through the folder.

"This is… a little something Whitlock and I put together when you were busy informing the guard about the plan we set up with everyone," Caius explained as he pointed out some of the pages. "Though you may not have considered the chance of there being insiders in the castle, we did."

-oOo-

Not long after leaving the castle Jasper arrived at the garage a few towns away from Volterra. Rosalie had been forced to resign her job in Volterra after about three years, as it would become too obvious she didn't age if she stayed any longer. Luckily another position had opened up nearby and she had not hesitated to apply. Her resume was very impressive, and the manager of the garage had almost immediately offered her the job.

The beautiful vampire was currently standing at the workbench, talking to Emmett while she was taking apart an engine. When she noticed someone was approaching them she turned around.

"Jasper?" Rosalie asked him as she analyzed him with a scrutinizing gaze, stepping away from her project. "What are you doing here? Is everything alright?"

"We should probably sit down first," Jasper said calmly, motioning for the other two to follow him to the empty canteen. The mated pair did so, but as soon as they sat down Rosalie posed her question again.

"It's Bella," he started explaining. "She left the castle this morning together with Heidi and Alice, presumably to go to Florence."

Rosalie's eyebrows shot up. "You mean to tell me Bella voluntarily went shopping with Alice? And Heidi too? The last time I spoke to her she told me she hates Alice with a burning passion."

"What about Demetri?" Emmett asked. "We were planning our next fight, but he said he had to go with Bella today."

"That is where the problems begin," Jasper explained. "Heidi told Demetri Bella was not feeling well, and they were not going shopping. But later this morning Heidi and Bella came by in the conference room to say goodbye before they left."

"And Alice? What role does she play in all of this?" Rosalie asked.

Jasper sighed. "Alice said to me this morning she was staying home to finish the dress she was working on. But an hour later she left the house after telling Esme she was going shopping with Heidi and Bella. No one saw the three of them together, but we do know they left the castle, and most likely Volterra as well. Both Alice and Heidi have lied and held back information."

"You're trying to say that…" Rosalie trailed off.

Her brother nodded. "Bella is gone with those two, and we have not heard a single thing from them since. If they had Bella's safety as their true top priority they would most definitely not have lied."

"Alice is an insider? Damn, I would have never guessed that," Emmett muttered.

"Don't you pay attention?" Rosalie hissed as she slapped him on his head. "Bella is in danger!"

Jasper sent a wave of calm her way and she took a deep breath before she turned around. "How can we help? Do we know where she is now?"

"I need you two to hack into the security system and go through all footage along the high ways to Florence, as well as other directions," Jasper said. "Emmett should-"

His sentence was interrupted by a ring tone. The blond vampire sighed and took his phone out of his pocket. When he saw the name on the display he quickly answered the call.

"Yes?"

 _"You all are too late, you idiot."_

* * *

 _A/N: Hello! Another cliff hanger, I know, I know ;) Next week you'll get some answers, I promise. This week I've got a chapter which is a little shorter than usual for you (as I'm currently on vacation) but I hope you like it. In about a week I'll upload a longer chapter in which we'll - finally - see what is happening with Isabella. Thank you so much for reading my story, and thanks for reviewing :) Don't hesitate to point out any mistakes and please leave a review to tell me what you think of this new chapter!_

 _\- Laura_


	19. Chapter 19 - Black Van

**Chapter 19 - Black Van**

 _[Where we last left off in chapter 17...]_

 _Right as she wanted to open the door to the bathroom she felt a cold hand on her arm. Isabella turned around, wanting to know what was wrong. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening, but before she could scream for help there was a hand on her mouth, effectively stopping all sound from escaping._

* * *

"Shhh," the voice behind her hissed as Isabella struggled to get out of the hold the captor had on her. She knew her attempt was pointless, but her instincts demanded she at least tried to get away.

"Stop moving!" the captor demanded once more, dragging the girl through the alley behind the shop. Isabella was roughly thrown into the back of a van before the person jumped in with her. The door was closed, effectively locking her up in the dark as the vehicle started moving. As the girl scrambled to sit upright her eyes adjusted to the darkness and after a second she turned around to see who was in there with her.

"Peter?" Isabella whispered in shock, taking in the man who was sitting in the corner opposite of her. He nodded curtly but motioned for her to stay quiet. The girl was too stunned to say anything anyway, but the silence was tense and lasted for several minutes. Suddenly Peter let out the breath he had been holding and moved forward. Isabella quickly held her hands out in front of her, not wanting him to come closer before she had more information.

"What is going on?" she asked him in a shaky voice as she slowly lowered her hands.

Peter climbed over until he sat next to the girl and slumped back against the side of the van. "You almost fell right into their trap."

The look on Isabella's face turned to one of confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Char and I were in Austria," the southern vampire started explaining. "We were out hunting when my gift warned me something was wrong."

As Peter continued his explanation Isabella visibly relaxed, sitting back while she listened to his story. The two vampires had immediately changed their course and ran towards Florence as fast as they could. Peter had known that if he warned his friends in Volterra before they reached Isabella themselves everything would go wrong. It was all on them.

They had reached the shop several hours after they had left Austria. It turned out they arrived just in time, as they saw an unknown vampire sneaking up to the back entrance. Together Peter and Charlotte had been quick to overpower the man and he was turned into a pile of ash not long before his partner joined him in his unexpected death.

Peter had never truly trusted Alice, but his gift hadn't given him any confirmation that she was up to no good. He was not one to wrongfully blame someone, and as such he had not told Jasper about his suspicions. After his friend had met the woman who claimed to be his mate he had visibly become happier, and Peter was not going to burst that bubble without any evidence.

Until now. Yesterday he had finally received confirmation of his suspicions. And now that he knew the truth he was going to use this new information to the best of his abilities. Alice was not to be trusted, and Heidi was not an option to ask for help. That left only two who were close enough to do the task if they wanted to gain a head start on their enemies.

In the end it was decided Peter would act out the role of the kidnapper. He put on the clothes of the - now very dead - vampire to temporarily disguise his own scent and Charlotte quickly hotwired the black van they had spotted on the corner of the street. After taking a deep breath the man had started on his mission, his goal on the forefront of his mind. He had made sure neither Alice nor Isabella had seen his face as he pulled the girl out of the store into the alley. It had broken his heart to see her in such distress, but there was nothing he could have done to calm her without untimely alerting Alice something was wrong.

"I had to wait before we were out of Alice and Heidi's hearing range before I could explain," Peter said, effectively ending his story.

Isabella was quiet for a moment as she sat up, emotions flying across her face before she suddenly started hitting the blond vampire on his chest.

"You," she said. "You- you idiot! You had me scared! I hate you, you-"

Peter caught her fists before she could hurt herself even more and looked into her eyes. "Shhh, princess, everything is alright now, breath in, you're safe her with Char and me."

Isabella once more weakly attempted to hit her friend, but it wasn't long before she broke down in tears and slumped against him. The vampire gathered the crying girl in his arms, looking quite helpless as he tried to calm her. He had no idea what to do now; never before had he seen Isabella act like this.

The van stopped and Peter could hear the footsteps of his mate as she walked around to the back. The soft glow of the streetlights streamed into the windowless cargo space as the doors opened and Charlotte climbed in. When Isabella briefly opened her eyes and spotted the woman she started to cry even louder.

Charlotte saw her mate was in distress and she glanced at the girl in his arms before motioning for him to hand her over. Peter stood up, Isabella still leaning heavily on him, and moved towards his mate. As the girl saw Charlotte's open arms she detangled herself from her friend and fell in the woman's embrace.

"Why don't you drive on?" Charlotte softly asked her mate as she lowered herself and Isabella to the floor of the van. "I will stay in the back with Bella."

Peter nodded and jumped out of the back, closing the door again before he walked over to the cabin. He sighed as he situated himself in the front seat and started the engine. They had a little more time before either Alice or the inhabitants of the castle would notice something was wrong, and he wanted to be as far away from the crime scene before that happened. He understood Isabella was in shock and she needed to rest before they took the next step, but the vampires did not have any time to spare.

He could only hope this all would end well.

-oOo-

Four hours after they left Florence the trio arrived at their first stop. It was a beautiful little cabin, which Peter explained was one of their 'safe houses'. The couple owned houses like these in different spots all around the world, as it was nice to have a place to turn to if needed. During the ride there Isabella had calmed down and talked to Charlotte for a bit before she had fallen asleep in her friend's arms. Upon arrival at the house she had woken up, and she now climbed out of the back of the van, carefully stretching her sore limbs. The girl yawned before she turned around to the two vampires with a questioning look on her face. "What comes next?"

"I will first call Jasper," Peter said, knowing his friend was away from the others at this moment. "You can freshen up a bit, but we will have to leave within the hour. Alice found out that the operation failed and she has already contacted her superior. I don't know how long it will take for them to find us, if they even do, but I would like not to take any chances and throw them off track either way. It is for the best if we get as far away as we can first."

Isabella nodded and combed through her tangled hair with her fingers.

"Alright," she said, looking at the blond vampire. "I'll go ahead and take a shower, then."

Charlotte followed the girl inside, leaving Peter behind. The man sighed and sat down on the porch, stretching his legs out in front of him. A second later the porch light switched on, bathing him in the soft yellow light. Peter shrugged off the black jacket he was still wearing. In the hurry to get away he had never changed out of the stolen clothes, and although most of the scent had disappeared it still reminded him of the events of that afternoon. Peter shuddered as he thought about what could have happened if they had not arrived in time.

Taking a deep breath he took his phone out of his pocket, turning it on before scrolling through the short list of contacts and selecting his friend's name. He knew the inhabitants of the castle had revealed both Alice and Heidi's lies not long ago, and the idiots still had to start their search.

The phone rung once before Jasper picked up. _"Yes?"_

"You all are too late you idiot," Peter sighed.

 _"Too late for what?"_ he heard. _"Peter, what the fuck is going on? Where are you? I don't have time for your stupid jokes right now; Bella left the castle with Heidi and Alice this morning, instead of with Demetri. Alice lied to everyone, as did Heidi and now we cannot reach any of the three."_

It was quiet for a second as Peter thought about where exactly he should start his story before Jasper continued. _"Wait, you do not mean that- you can't be serious right now. You tell me right now, Peter Whitlock, where the hell is Bella?"_

"Calm down," Peter quickly said before his brother could go on with his rambling. "It was a close call, but we have her here with us."

 _"Oh, thank God,"_ Jasper sighed. _"What happened?"_

The blond vampire once more recounted the story about the events of that evening, Jasper listening quietly. What Peter had not yet told Isabella, but did tell his friend was that the inhabitants of Florence had the scare of their life not long after they left the city.

"I know that the superior, whoever that may be, ordered Alice to blow up the shop when the mission had taken place. They wanted to throw us of track, and they were also hoping to instil fear in the Volturi."

 _"What about Alice and Heidi?"_ Jasper asked. _"Did the leave the area beforehand?"_

Peter hesitated slightly before he answered. "Alice left the city a minute after we did. Heidi however..."

 _"Well, shit,"_ his friend muttered under his breath. In the background Peter could hear a crash.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes widening as he heard some curses.

 _"That was Rose,"_ Jasper explained. _"She and Emmett are here with me, she needed to let out her anger for a bit. But what exactly was going on with Heidi? I never saw her as one to betray her own. Why didn't she leave on time if she was in with Alice?"_

"She wasn't one of the enemies," Peter said slowly, trying to make sense of the information he had been given. "Though she did aid them, she never did so with conscious thought."

 _"You mean she was a victim of manipulation,"_ his friend clarified. _"And now she's dead."_

"That's what it all comes down to," the blond vampire replied.

It stayed silent for a moment as Jasper took in what he had been told. Just as Peter was about to pose a new question Isabella walked outside. Her hair was up in a messy bun and she was wearing some of Charlotte's clothes, which were too big on her. She was munching on a piece of chocolate the couple had stacked in their house some time ago. When the girl saw Peter on the porch she stood still for a moment before he motioned for her to come. Isabella skipped over and seated herself next to him. Spotting the vampire's phone she held out her hand, eyebrows raised.

"What?" Peter asked with a challenging look. He was happy to finally catch a glimpse of the girl he knew her to be.

"Gimme," she said, her mouth full with chocolate. "I wanna talk to him."

"Demanding much," the blond vampire muttered, shaking his head. But he handed Isabella the phone without any complaints. Hopefully this call would cheer her up a bit.

 _"Bella?"_ they heard as the girl held the phone to her ear. _"Is that you?"_

"Yes," Isabella whispered. "I'm here. I'm safe now."

-oOo-

The phone call with Jasper took away some of her worries, and Isabella even had the chance to briefly talk with Rose and Emmett before they had to leave again.

Jasper and Peter made some arrangements for back at the castle, since the disruption and necessary changes had altered the course of the initial plan. Though Peter and Charlotte would be able to keep Isabella safe for the time being, they could not evade the enemies forever and at some point they would have to face them. They knew every move of the inhabitants of the castle would soon be watched very closely and thus it would be difficult for the trio to get help without leading the enemy right to their hiding spots. The only option was to acquire the help of outsiders, but in times like these it was very difficult to know who they could or could not trust.

As Jasper, Rose and Emmett set the plan for Volterra into action, Peter, Charlotte and Isabella left the house. Charlotte had driven the black van into a ditch a few miles away from the house. With a bit of help it caught on fire and it would probably be found the next morning by someone passing by. Peter had to reassure Isabella that they would search for the owner and make sure he would be able to buy a new van before the girl reluctantly gave in. Even she understood it was necessary to wipe out the trails they had left behind.

While Isabella situated herself in the back of the new van the two vampires excessively cleaned the house. All traces of scent which the girl had left behind were removed until there was no evidence she had ever even been there. When they were finished Charlotte hopped in with the girl as Peter climbed in the front and started the engine. Less than an hour after they had arrived they were off again, moving on to the next place, where they hoped to be out of the reach of their enemies for a little longer. They were heavily relying on both Isabella and Peter's instincts to bring them to safety.

Hours into their drive the girl fell asleep again, this time in surroundings which were slightly more comfortable. The sun was starting to rise, and never before had Peter been so thankful for the blinded windows. By the time Isabella had woken up they arrived at a small lake, where the vampire parked the vehicle. The area was vacant of people, and the girl looked around the open door of the van confusedly.

"What are we doing here?" she asked her friend, who just smiled and shrugged his shoulders. It wouldn't be long before she would find out what exactly was coming. Or more specific, _who_ were coming. A minute after their arrival the water started wrinkling, bubbles floating up to the surface. Out of the lake two people emerged, sand and weeds all over their soaking wet clothes. Peter walked forward and helped them to climb up on the grass. It wasn't until one of the two shook his head to get rid of the water that the girl recognized them.

"Rose? Emmett?" she asked in shock. When the duo turned around and looked at her she squealed happily. Isabella immediately shot forward, right into the arms of Rosalie, who protested weakly. She did not want Isabella to get all wet as well, but the girl herself did not mind it at all. After Rose it was Emmett's turn. Unlike his mate the burly vampire picked up Isabella and swung her around before he placed her back on the ground.

Charlotte and Peter, who had been watching the greetings, walked forward and handed the two vampires a few towels. Then the woman hushed Isabella back inside the van to get her warmed up and dry as well. Rosalie climbed in with her, but Emmett stood outside for a moment, looking at the van with an amused expression on his face.

"Are you serious?" he asked Peter. " _'Pietro Bianchi, per tutto il tuo pane e pasticcini'_?"

The southern vampire grinned. "What? We have to travel as inconspicuously as we can, don't we? You have to admit it is a brilliant cover, at least better than a plain black van. That just screams 'suspicious'"

Emmett laughed and shook his head before he climbed into the back of the van. Peter closed the door behind him and walked around to the front. When they had all situated themselves they continued on their journey.

"Why are you here?" Isabella asked after a few minutes of silence. "Not that I mind, of course."

"We were the only ones who would be able to escape unseen," Rosalie explained. "Emmett and I were in the garage a few towns from the castle when Jasper came to visit us. Volterra was put under watch not long ago when they found out you escaped, but Jasper had already left by the time."

The girl nodded. "Where is he now?"

"He was going to rearrange the trail to make it look as if he had gone to the house instead of the garage. He will soon go back to the castle, where he is going to explain everything to the others," Emmett said, looking up from the game he was playing on his phone.

"We, on the other hand, travelled here to help Peter and Char to protect you," Rosalie said. "And while Jasper travelled high and dry by car, we had to dive into the lake to make sure no one could track us down."

The girl burst into laughter as she remembered the state her friends had been in when they emerged from the water. Emmett grinned at her before he threw a towel to her head. Isabella quickly caught it as she looked up at her friends. "Well, I'm glad you're here."

"We wouldn't want to be anywhere else," Rosalie said, smiling at Isabella.

-oOo-

Jasper waved Rosalie and Emmett goodbye before he turned around and sighed. It was time to start the new plan Peter and he had formed the hour before. He did not think he had ever been so grateful for his friends. Except, of course, the time they had helped him to rebuild his life when he was finally able to move on from the Southern wars.

Though he had kept his stern façade up for everyone to see, deep inside he had been scared when he found out Isabella was in danger. He had become very fond of the girl through the years. Every single day he had felt how much love she held for all those around her, and also how much the others loved her back. She had shown what true happiness was to those who had forgotten what exactly it entailed.

After taking one more look around the garage Jasper left, turning the lights of and locking the door with the key Rosalie had given him. He started running towards the house they owned outside of Volterra. It was one of the places that was not yet being spied on according to Peter, but he had to work quickly to make sure he was on time to fool the enemy.

The vampire carefully wiped out the trail he had left behind before he entered the house and rumbled through a few cupboards. From the rooms of the others he grabbed some of the older photographs he knew Esme would want to have, as well as Carlisle's cross. Most of the older artefacts were locked away in high security vaults in America. Though he himself did not really hold any sentimental value to specific objects, he understood the bond others had with those pieces. He put the gathered items in a box he had found in the basement, as he knew chances were big the house would soon be burnt down to the ground.

Jasper completed all of this in less than five minutes. When he was finished he walked out to the garage, not once looking back. He put the box with the belongings in the back of his car and jumped in. Starting the engine he opened the garage door with the remote, speeding out as soon he could.

The drive to Volterra did not take him long, although Jasper knew he would've been faster if he had run. When he arrived at the castle he immediately was hit with everyone's emotions. Years of practice helped him to lock out the emotions of others so he could concentrate on his own. It seemed everyone was completely stressed out, which he understood. Jasper had not yet been able to inform anyone of Isabella's wellbeing as it was not safe to do so over the phone anymore and he had no other means of communication. It had taken him longer to return back from the garage than he had initially told the kings and he was sure they would not quite appreciate the delay. Hopefully they would calm down enough to let him explain first before they unleashed their wrath. His gift could probably assist a little with that.

When the vampire exited the car he was immediately approached by Jane, who stood still in front of him, looking at him with her eyebrows raised. He sighed and took the box from the back before he turned back around. "Wherever everyone is, please go and tell them to meet me in the conference room. I'm only going to recount the story once."

"No Emmett? No Rosalie?" Jane asked, motioning to the empty car.

"I promise I'll explain everything," Jasper said, emphasizing his words. "Just not here."

The tiny vampire looked at him curiously, but turned around and walked back into the castle, Jasper following close behind. While Jane went around the castle in search of the Volturi, he walked straight to the conference room. When he stood in front of the room he saw Caius bowed over a big pile of papers, occasionally muttering something to himself. Jasper knocked on the door frame to make his presence known, entering when the king looked up.

"You took quite some time to return," Caius said curtly, watching as the southern vampire seated himself at the head of the table. "I am sure you understand we do not have any time to spare."

Jasper pushed some calm towards the old vampire before he sat back in his chair. "It took longer than I expected, yes. The others are on their way here now, and I will explain everything when they have arrived."

As the first vampires entered the conference room Caius relaxed slightly under Jasper's influence. When the others spotted the empath they quickly took a seat. When everyone was in the room Jane closed the door and looked at Jasper expectantly. He took a deep breath before he recounted the events from the moment he arrived at the garage up until now. As he finished the story it was silent for a second before everyone started talking amongst each other, making plans and exchanging opinions.

"Silence!" Aro, who was holding a shell-shocked Sulpicia in his arms, called. At once it was quiet again and everyone watched as the king turned towards Jasper.

"If I understand correctly we cannot bring Isabella back to the castle or send more protection her way?" he asked.

The southern vampire shook his head. "The castle is being watched as they know we sabotaged their plans. Peter, Charlotte, Rosalie and Emmett cannot bring Bella here as the enemy would kill them and capture the girl before we could even move a finger. If we send reinforcements to help they will be followed and the enemy will be led straight towards the place they are hiding."

"What is it we can do?" Marcus asked worriedly. "If we cannot aid in Isabella's safety, what should we help with?"

"We have to strengthen our forces and prepare the guard. We should put the new plan into action so we can safely leave Volterra as soon as possible without losing anyone in the battle," Jasper explained, nodding towards the folder which lay in front of Caius. "We will need everyone alive to bring this to a good end."

Marcus nodded and took a deep breath. "Then let us begin."

* * *

 _A/N: May Heidi rest in peace..._

 _Bella is safe for now, but it won't be long before the ancient vampire and his allies will catch up with her... Hopefully they can find a solution as how to keep her safe before that moment arrives._

 _Here is the longer chapter I promised last week, and again, thank you so much for reading and reviewing! It makes me very happy :) Please leave a review to let me know what you think of this new chapter, and I'll see you again next week!_

 _\- Laura_

Translations:

 **'Pietro Bianchi, per tutto il tuo pane e pasticcini'** \- 'Pietro Bianchi, for all your bread and pastries"


	20. Chapter 20 - Flowers

**Chapter 20 - Flowers**

"Please, Bella," Peter pleaded. "You have to eat some more. Your uncles will have my head if we bring you back underfed."

Isabella looked up at him, an irritated expression on her face. "I said no. I'm not hungry."

The girl had been playing with her food for half an hour now, and it was getting on Peter's nerves. The past three years had been very stressful for them all, and he worried it was starting to have an effect on Isabella.

Since Peter and Charlotte had rescued her from the shop that day they had been constantly on the move to evade the ancient vampire and his allies. They usually only stayed at a place for a few weeks before they would have to leave again when they ran out of food or if Peter and Isabella got the feeling that they could not stay any longer.

It had been truly amazing to have Rosalie and Emmett's with them these past few years. Peter did not know if they could have ever gotten this far without them. While the vampires were used to years of running and waiting, it was all new to Isabella. The girl was still human, or close to it, which meant she was still growing and developing. The routine they had created for her when she was younger had flown out of the window after the shopping incident as they always had to be prepared for the unexpected.

Although the stress and luring danger did not have any significant effect on the vampires, it did affect Isabella. In the beginning she had never had any problems, but as the years went on the constant stress was starting to take its toll. It had gotten noticeably worse in the past months, as the girl's instincts were playing up like crazy and they had to move around more often than before.

And here the vampires were, trying to get Isabella to eat something. The girl's appetite had decreased significantly, something which was starting to worry them. In As if that wasn't enough already they had noticed she was not sleeping well too.

"Is something wrong?" Rosalie asked as she walked into the kitchen. She and Emmett had just been out hunting in the woods surrounding the house they were currently staying in.

"No," Isabella muttered.

"Yes," Peter said at the same time, after which the girl sent him a dirty glare.

Rosalie looked at the two, her eyebrows raised, before her gaze fell on Isabella's full plate. She sighed and walked over, taking a seat opposite of the Isabella. Peter saw the chance to escape and stood up with the intention of finding Charlotte.

"Bella," Rose started concerned. "I know that you might not be hungry, but you have to eat something. You need all energy you can get."

"I know," Isabella sighed, already feeling guilty that she snapped at Peter.

"Here, why don't you take a bite of your dinner and I will get you something to drink," Rosalie said, pushing the plate back in front of the girl, who picked up her fork. After throwing one more glance at Isabella she left the dining room to get a drink.

When the beautiful vampire returned from the kitchen she saw that the girl had still not eaten. Just as she was about to reprimand her Isabella spoke up.

"It won't be long before we have to move again," she said absentmindedly, staring at the wall.

Rosalie looked at her, surprised. "Already? We haven't even been here for a week yet."

"That's true," Isabella said absentmindedly. She shrugged her shoulders before she finally took a bite of her dinner. "I can't do anything about it."

Worriedly Rosalie left the girl to eat, walking to her bedroom to talk to Emmett for a moment.

Later that night, when Isabella was finally asleep, the vampires gathered together in the small living room.

"This can't go on for much longer," Rosalie stated as she looked around at the others. "Bella is caving under all the stress, and all the moving around is not helping either. Not only does it affect her mental health, it is starting to have an effect on her physically as well."

"It is different than I had expected it to be," Charlotte said, shaking her head. "I did not stand still by the fact that Bella is not as used to it all as we are."

"If we don't take action soon it could be that we will have to be on the run for years, or maybe even decades to come," Peter drawled. "That is something I'm not sure Bella is up against."

It was quiet for a moment before Charlotte sighed. "I just wish we knew how many we would be facing if we decided to approach them instead of avoiding."

"Five hundred fifty three, including creatures other than vampires," a voice suddenly said.

Everyone turned around as one to see the girl leaning against the doorway. She looked exhausted, her eyes small and her hair one big mess.

"Bella? Why aren't you in bed?" Emmett asked.

"Woke up," Isabella said sarcastically. "But as I said, we are up against five hundred fifty three."

"How do you-" Rosalie started before she stopped herself. "Never mind, I understand. But you should really go back to bed, Bella, it's getting late and you'll need to catch some sleep if we are going to move again soon.

"No," Isabella said stubbornly. "I am old enough to understand what you are talking about and I want to know everything too. I won't be able to fall asleep again anyway."

"Alright," Peter said, knowing the girl would not take no for an answer. "Then come and sit down. Where were we?"

"Well, we know the number we are up against if we attack instead of evade," Charlotte said. "Now the question is whether or not we can handle that many."

"What number does the guard consist of?" Emmett asked.

"I actually don't know," Peter said as a pensive look struck his face.

Rosalie raised her eyebrows. "It might be handy to know that before you start planning anything else."

"I will try to contact Jasper, or one of the kings," Peter decided. "It isn't long until the planned call anyway, so they won't freak out if they suddenly receive the call."

Emmett's eyes widened. "Yeah, that sure wasn't fun last time."

At the start of this journey one of the king's concerns had been what would happen if Isabella suddenly transported again. She could not control it, at least not yet, and back at the castle it had become quite a normal happening for her to disappear at least two or three times every year.

Although it was something they had feared would happen in the wrong place and time, it worried them even more was that now, three years later, Isabella had not gone anywhere. The vampires kept a close eye on her every day, but she had not displayed any signs of transportation since that fateful day in Florence.

The group of vampires who were with Isabella had regular contact with the castle to exchange information and updates about everything. They checked in at least once a month, and it was rare for them to call more often.

This unspoken agreement led to a lot of panic when last month, only two days after their planned call, Bella accidentally dialled the castle's phone number during one of Emmett's many prank call games. After she realized her mistake she had immediately hung up, which only led to more panic with the Volturi. Peter had had to call and explain everything when he found out about it, as both Emmett and Bella were too scared to do anything. Aro had given the girl a long lecture about responsibility which caused her to feel even guiltier than she already did. Needless to say Bella had refused to prank call anyone since that day, much to Emmett's dismay.

"Alright. While you guys are going to call everyone I wanna take a walk," Bella said as she walked to the hallway to get her shoes.

The vampires looked at each other for a second before Rosalie jumped up. "I'll go with you."

-oOo-

"I will see you in a few hours." Jasper nodded to Jane before he turned around again. On the table lay a huge pile of paper, all filled with information on the reports of the past few decades. Why the Volturi had never decided to start storing everything on computers was something he would probably never know.

The past years had been very busy and stressful for the guard and the rest of the Volturi. They were all trying to acquire information on the whereabouts of anyone who they could consider the 'enemy', as well as the total number of people who had sided with the ancient vampire. Obviously, they had not been very successful in their research yet.

The first few weeks after the incident in Florence had been hard on Jasper. It had been like he was slowly coming out of a fabricated haze, and he had a difficult time adjusting to the new feeling. Everyone's emotions suddenly hit him harder than before, and Edward confirmed that the empath was able to think clearer as well.

It wasn't until Eleazar pointed it out that he noticed it was in fact easier for him to repress or influence the emotions of others. While his gift had always been strong, it now seemed to improve by the day.

Luckily for the blond vampire everyone around him was very supportive and they made sure he would hunt more often to replenish all the extra energy he burned. It took some time, but when he had finally adjusted he felt better than ever before. Even the three Cullens who were left in the castle noticed the positive changes he had gone through.

Jasper had always been a born leader, first in his human life and later in the vampire wars too. Now he was once more ready to take that position; nothing was holding him back anymore. The kings knew he was not trying to stage a coup and they let him be, staying back and admiring the air of authority he carried everywhere he went. Jasper was a much respected person in the castle and it wasn't long before the others came to him to ask for advice.

The blond vampire had quickly realized that he did not feel any pain, in spite of Alice's departure, and Marcus's surprised words were only a confirmation of his suspicions. To this day he was still wondering how on earth he could have ever truly believed the pixie was his mate.

He sighed deeply as he picked up the new folder Jane had brought him. He was about to open it when his phone rung. A grin appeared on his face as he picked up his phone from the table and answered.

"I was expecting you to call soon," he said, turning around to face the wall full of notes.

 _"We were hoping so, yeah,"_ the voice on the other side of the line answered. _"Hey, we have some new stuff and we need to have a talk about this issue which has come up."_

"Alright," Jasper nodded. "Enlighten me then."

 _"We know the number of recruits from the ancient vampire now,"_ Peter said.

Jasper stared at the wall, his eyebrows raised. "Tell me all about it. How come you so suddenly have the information we have tried to acquire for... about three years now?"

 _"We were just having a talk with the four of us when Bella woke up. Char was complaining about the fact that we didn't know the number when she suddenly just told us,"_ Peter explained. _"Five hundred fifty three, including some who can't be classified as vampires."_

"That's very specific." Jasper muttered as he threw the pen he had been holding onto the table. "How the hell did he do that? Well, I guess he had the time to gather people."

 _"What's the number there at Volterra?"_ Peter inquired. _"I realized I never asked, or counted, so that part's a bit of a mystery to me. A few groups were always gone on missions; I don't think I've ever seen the guard in its entirety."_

"I believe the count here is around two hundred now, including the Denali's and us. But we do not know what 'creatures other than vampires' entail, and what their strengths are. It is hard to make a guess about the number of people we will need to counter them if we don't know that."

 _"That's true,"_ the vampire agreed.

"At least we can search more specific, then. It is quite the event to try and do it unnoticed, though," Jasper sighed.

For the inhabitants of the castle it was harder than usual to undergo activities or missions. Now that they knew Alice was with the enemy they had to try to avoid anything which could trigger her psychic abilities. It was a challenge, but also very necessary. Luckily Edward was able to help quite a bit with that as he had seen into the pixie's mind for decades. He had the best insight in the inner workings of her gift, and had explained it to the others. He knew for example that if they made decisions which included Bella or her welfare they would be invisible, as well as when they stayed indecisive. They could only hope it was enough to stay of the pixie's radar.

 _"You've all done fine so far, I don't think there will be any complications,"_ Peter told him.

Jasper hummed. "Now, what is it about this other issue you said there was?"

 _"It's about Bella,"_ his friend started hesitantly.

The blond vampire immediately perked up at the name of the girl. It had been three years since the inhabitants of the castle had seen her in person and they truly missed her. Although they sometimes received pictures, sent by Peter, they had had to miss three of Isabella's birthdays already. They knew it was in her best interest to stay where she was for now, but not a day went by where they did not notice her absence.

"What's up with Bella? Is something wrong?" Jasper asked, urging his friend to talk on.

 _"She is safe, if that's what you mean,"_ Peter drawled. _"But we're worried about her. All the stress is starting to take its toll and the constant moving around isn't helping either."_

Jasper hummed in acknowledgement. "That's something we should definitely keep that in mind as well when we start planning again."

 _"She's not eating well as of recently,"_ Peter said. _"And sleeping is a problem too. She either doesn't sleep at all, or she wakes up screaming in the middle of the night. It surely isn't having a positive effect on her mood."_

The vampire was quiet for a moment before he spoke up. "It's definitely time to take action. Isabella is of our highest concern, and if she's being burdened by this problem we need to accelerate the process. We will try to acquire more specific information about the location and types of creatures, but I'll call you back later this night when we're done. If everything goes according to the plan we should be able to start this all."

 _"About time too, if you ask me"_ Peter muttered.

"I'll tell the others, we'll organize another of our meetings," Jasper added. "Where is Bella now?"

 _"She's out with Rosalie,"_ Peter answered. _"I don't know how long it will be before they return."_

"Tell her I said hello," Jasper said as he turned his chair back around. "I will set everything in action here at the castle."

 _"I will,"_ Peter said. _"I'll also ask her if she maybe knows some more. Hopefully we can put everything into action soon."_

"I hope so, yes," the vampire agreed. "I will talk to you later. Call us if you know anything else which could help."

They exchanged greetings before he ended the call. Jasper sighed deeply as he put his head in his hands and groaned. It definitely wasn't a good sign that Isabella was caving under all the stress and he knew they had to do something about it before there would be more complications.

He stood up from his chair and quickly put all papers and folders away in the cupboard and on the shelves. When he was finished he took one more look around the room before he opened the door and walked into the hallway.

After a moment of contemplation Jasper decided to first look in the courtyard. Usually Carlisle would be the first he would go to when they were organizing an unplanned meeting, simply because the compassionate vampire always seemed to be near. But he was currently out hunting with a group, so that was not an option.

The hunts were something they had to change up a bit after the incident in Florence. The enemy had most certainly been prepared and Volterra was now surrounded by vampires who they had to try and avoid. But it hadn't taken long before they realized they were not surrounded so their numbers could be decimated. The vampires were simply there to follow anyone who left the city; this caused there to be no way for the Volturi to send extra forces to protect Isabella without giving away the place she was hiding.

It was like the Volturi and the ancient vampire were dancing around each other in a perfectly orchestrated choreography. The Italians could not attack as they hadn't known the number they were up against until today, and the enemy were not able to acquire who they wanted to have most as they did not know where Isabella was hiding.

Jasper hoped the new information Bella had given them would take them a step forward in this game. He wondered about different possibilities and strategies as he roamed through the hallways towards the back door.

The castle's hidden gardens had become Marcus's favourite refuge since Isabella had left the castle. The old king had a lot to think about, and walking through the garden helped him to calm himself. Isabella's near-abduction had brought back lots of memories of the time surrounding the disappearance of his Didyme. It was hard for him to relive those moments again, especially since he had come to love Isabella as if she was his own child.

Jasper exited the castle and quickly found Marcus's scent. He followed it, and it led him to a bench in the back of the lantern-lit courtyard where the king was seated. His eyes were closed, and he was breathing steadily. If the blond vampire hadn't known better he would have thought Marcus had dozed off. When he reached the wooden bench the king slowly opened his eyes. As he noticed Jasper he sat upright and nodded in greeting.

"Good evening," Marcus said. "What is it I can do for you?"

"There's a meeting in an hour," Jasper told him. "I'm currently gathering everyone."

"Is it about anything I should know at this moment?" the king asked curiously.

The blond vampire hesitated for a moment before he decided to elaborate. "It's about Bella, and some new information I just received from Peter."

Marcus's expression turned to one of worry.

"She's safe," Jasper added quickly as he noticed the shift in emotions. "But she's... having a hard time with all the stress and pressure. She received more information about the enemy, something which I would like to share with everyone."

"I will search for my brothers and their wives," the king decided, standing up from the wooden bench. "Where is it we should go?"

"It is something everyone will have to be present for," Jasper said. "I say we gather together in the throne room, there is enough room to accommodate all."

Marcus nodded. "We shall meet you there."

-oOo-

Although the vampires tried to limit the safety measures around Isabella as to not make her feel too trapped, they had promised the kings that at least one of them would stay near her at all times. The girl did not enjoy the lack of privacy, but this was not something she was allowed to have any input on.

"Is there any specific reason for this sudden midnight stroll?" Rosalie asked as she closed the front door behind her. "I seem to recall that you prefer to sleep at night. Or at least rest."

"Right now I'm way too antsy to lie still," Isabella answered her friend. "Something is up, as we already know, and since it's getting closer my instincts are going haywire."

Rosalie hummed in acknowledgement before she nodded towards the path leading into the trees. "Well, in that case, let's go."

Together they walked in silence for a few minutes, entering the forest deeper and deeper. After a while they reached an open spot in between the trees. Isabella slowed down and came to a stop in the middle of the meadow as she looked at the flowers which were already starting to sprout. It would not be long before the cold would leave and spring would begin.

Bella slowly lowered herself to the ground until she was lying on her back, looking up at the moon which was shining down on her. The beautiful vampire was still standing in the trees, sensing the girl needed a moment to herself.

"I never wished for anything like this to happen," Isabella suddenly spoke up, breaking through the silence. "If this was only about me, I would have made sure it had ended before it even started."

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked as she started walking towards the girl.

She chuckled darkly. "The problem is that it isn't all about me. If they catch me, it would not only mean death for me after he somehow gains my power at some point. It would mean the rest of the world's population and nature would be sentenced to life under the wrath of mister-the-ancient-vamp."

The beautiful vampire sensed where the conversation was going and a worried look struck her face.

"Bella, don't even think for one minute-" she started sternly.

"Don't worry," the girl interrupted. "I have thought everything through at least a thousand times. Time is something I have to spare here. I know this mess is not something I can do anything about, as much as I would like to take the blame, even just to simplify everything."

"It is most definitely not your fault," Rosalie said with wide eyes. "You were in this since you were a child; you did not have a choice in any of it."

Isabella's cool facade was starting to fade, and a few tears rolled down her cheeks as she slowly sat up. Rosalie kneeled down and carefully seated herself next to the girl.

"Come here," she said as she opened her arms. Hesitantly Isabella crawled into her friend's arms until Rosalie just pulled her further. The vampire hugged her close, causing her to tear up even more. Rosalie just kept silent as she held the girl, knowing she desperately needed some comfort.

The beautiful vampire and the girl sat in silence in the middle of the meadow for what felt like hours before Isabella took a deep breath in.

"I'm sorry for being so dramatic," she chuckled lowly as retreated back from Rose's arms, wiping her eyes.

"No, don't apologize," Rosalie shook her head, standing up. "Sometimes you just need to let it all go, even we still do that sometimes. If you ever want to talk, or just need a hug, please let me know. We're all here for you, you know."

"Thanks," Isabella whispered as she accepted the vampire's outstretched hand and pulled herself up. Stretching her sore limbs she started walking back to the path they had taken on the way here. It took a few seconds before she realized Rosalie wasn't following her and she turned around to see her friend standing as still as a statue.

"Rose?" she carefully asked. "What's wrong?"

At a loss for words the beautiful vampire looked up. Then she looked back at the spot they had just been sitting. Isabella followed her gaze and gasped.

"Oh shit," she muttered.

The flowers, which were previously only budding, now were blooming, their bright colours standing out in the moonlit meadow.

* * *

 _A/N: What's happening with Bella? The Volturi can soon really start planning the attack, and it hopefully won't be long until they can end this problem. But first they will have to search for allies..._

 _Thank you for reading my story! I'm_ _at chapter 20, I can't believe I have come this far ;)_ _I know this chapter is later than I said it would be, but I had a friend's wedding to attend and then I got sick, so I took a small break from writing. It's a busy time for me, but I'll try my best to upload again next week._

 _Don't hesitate to point out any mistakes or information that is missing and please leave a review to tell me what you think!_

 _\- Laura_


	21. Chapter 21 - Manteío

_"Rose?" she carefully asked. "What's wrong?"_

 _At a loss for words the beautiful vampire looked up. Then she looked back at the spot they had just been sitting. Isabella followed her gaze and gasped._

 _"Oh shit," she muttered._

 _The flowers, which were previously only budding, now were blooming, their bright colours standing out in the moonlit meadow._

* * *

 **Chapter 21 - Manteío**

The two women walked back to the house, a heavy silence sinking down on them. The relief Isabella had felt after she had talked to Rosalie was gone. After the beautiful vampire had, as the girl had requested, promised not to tell anyone of the incident they had left the meadow behind. It had been a while since they left the house and Isabella was certain someone would be starting to worry by now. Although she usually tried to avoid worrying anyone, it was not the most pressing matter she had on her mind right now.

It was Rosalie who finally broke through the silence. "Are you alright? Can you at least explain to me what happened in the meadow?"

"I don't want to-"

"Stop," Rosalie halted the girl in her words. "I understand that you may not like to talk about subjects like these, but you cannot avoid it forever. It won't do any good to you, or anyone else for that matter, to keep it a secret. Please trust me to not tell anyone else about it until you give me the heads up."

Isabella sighed. "It's just that- if everyone knows it's going to become a big deal and all. I don't want to be a special case even more than I already am. I hate it that they're 'studying' me, as if I am some kind of animal."

"They don't mean it like that, you know?" the vampire said after a moment of silence.

"I do know, which is why I just let them do their thing," the girl explained. "I get the appeal of finding out more about the unknown, especially when you've been alive for centuries and life's getting boring. And I understand that they need to be able to prepare for whatever will happen in the future. All the studying just makes me feel… I don't know, it makes me feel alien or something. I already am different than anyone else, and there will never be someone like me at the same time that I am alive."

"I'm sorry you feel like that," Rosalie said softly as they spotted the lights of the house through the trees. "But please, trust at least one of us with whatever is going on. It will help you too, you know. And we should know, from more than one person's judgement, if this new development will influence the plans that are being created."

"It won't," Isabella said, before her expression turned to one of contemplation. "Or maybe it will..."

Before they entered the fence surrounding the garden Rosalie stopped the girl and looked her into the eye. "Make sure to tell someone."

With a sigh Isabella nodded before she turned back around and opened the fence. As they walked over the path to the front door they could already hear sounds coming from within. Rose was about to knock on the door when it opened.

"Hey," Peter said with a voice muffled by the pile of bags he had stacked in his arms. "Could one of you open the car for me? I forgot to do it and I don't want to have to put this all down again."

Rosalie shook her head and muttered something under her breath. She grabbed the car keys from the dresser in the hallway before she went to the garage.

In the meantime Isabella looked on in amusement as Emmett followed his mate a few seconds later, carrying several suitcases.

"Hey Bells," the burly vampire said with a grin. "How're you doing? Did the walking help?"

"Yeah, it was nice," Isabella answered. "Now go on and continue your task before Char comes out and whips your ass."

Emmett stuck his tongue out at the girl, but walked up to the garage as he heard Rose starting to argue with Peter.

While her husband and his friend were taking their luggage outside Charlotte walked into the hallway. When she saw Isabella standing in front of the house she called out.

"Bella, come inside!" She motioned for the girl to follow her back into the living room. Isabella entered the house and took a seat on the sofa as her friend fluttered around, pushing a plate with some sandwiches into her hands.

"Eat," Charlotte ordered with a stern gaze when she saw Isabella looking at the plate in disdain.

The girl sighed but complied and took a small bite out of the bread. Suddenly it dawned on her what was going on. She must have been really tired not to understand it when Peter left the house with all their bags. "We're moving?"

Charlotte nodded. "Yes we are."

"You know we don't have to, not yet at least," Isabella said, frowning.

"It has nothing to do with us not being safe here," Charlotte explained. "We have made a slight change in our plans."

"What is it?" Isabella asked, her expression one of confusion. Just as her friend was about to answer her eyes lit up. "Wait! We are finally meeting with the others, aren't we? We are going to start planning the next phase."

"How did you-" Charlotte stopped herself when the girl tapped a finger to her head. "Yes, you're right. Although we are going to stay somewhere else for a little while before we meet the others, it will happen soon."

A smile graced Isabella's face and she jumped up, the plate of food lay forgotten on the sofa.

"Finally," she sighed as she gave her friend a hug. "When are we leaving?"

"Right now," Peter said as he entered the room. When he saw the food he corrected himself. "Actually, we'll leave when you have finished your sandwich. And take something to drink as well."

Isabella shot him a glare and grumbled something inaudible before she slouched over to the couch. After another look from both Charlotte and Peter she reluctantly finished the food. With an exaggerated gesture she placed the empty plate on the coffee table. "Done."

"Great!" Charlotte said happily. "Now, go and get ready. You'll take the van with Emmett and Rosalie this time. Peter and I will take the car."

"Sure." Isabella nodded before she stood up and left the living room, walking past Rosalie who had checked over their cars once more.

"You're sure it is the best idea to leave at this time?" the beautiful vampire asked. "Wouldn't it have been better if Bella could have tried catch some sleep first?"

Peter shook his head. "She would not have fallen asleep. We have put some extra blankets in the van; she will be able to fall asleep while you're driving. But please remember to wake her up before you cross the border, if you don't want her to start screaming."

"All right," Rosalie said with a worried look on her face. "We won't forget."

"I'm going to start up the car," Peter said as he stood up. "We'll be leaving soon."

-oOo-

 _Place unknown_

The sky was pitch black, there was not a sign of the stars or moon tonight. A woman walked through the silent forest, following the manmade path that would lead her to her destination.

She was walking fast, and it wasn't long before the trees of the forest started thinning. Through the leaves an enormous building could be spotted. It was a dark grey, and if she hadn't known any different she would have thought it had been out of use for years now. As it was, she had knowledge of what exactly could be found in this building. Or more exactly, who. She knew she could find him in here. He had not moved from this place since he raided it years ago.

The woman walked up to the steel door. She climbed up onto the small porch before she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Shaking her head she let out a joyless chuckle. It was time to get the show on the road.

She only had to knock once for the door to open.

"State your business," the deep voice demanded.

"I'm here on invitation," the woman answered. "I need to speak to him. I have got some information to share."

"The Master said he does not want to be interrupted at the moment," he growled as he moved to shut the door. "Unless-"

"Unless I want to have my head torn off and my body set on fire? Oh, come on, can't you do better than that?" she said, cocking her head to the side as she caught the door, preventing it from closing.

"Was I not clear enough?" the aggravated man said. The woman was starting to get on his nerves. It was his job to keep anyone out of the building who did not belong there, and she was blatantly disrespecting him. He knew she had been here before, as he recognized her scent, but he was not going to ignore his master's orders. Especially not for this tiny woman. "Leave. Now."

"I said I have to speak to him," she sneered. "You would do well to listen to me. I don't think your Master would like to hear how you kept the _Manteío_ from him, but if you want to take the chance, I won't try to stop you."

As she mentioned the name the man relaxed slightly and raised his eyebrows. _"Manteío_? But your arrival is not expected for at least a few days to come."

"As I already said," she said, emphasizing her words as she was starting to get irritated. "I have information. And if you keep me here, outside, for any longer now, I'll make sure you will lose your job. And with that, your head too."

Before the man could react the door was open and the woman quickly passed him, her head held high. He was about to run after her when he saw the message he had received on the computer. It confused him, but he closed the door and sat back down in his chair. He was curious how this would end.

The hallways were dimly lit, and though a human would have had problems seeing clearly, that was no concern for the woman. She walked on until she reached a dark blue door and knocked once.

"I have come to bring you information," she stated. She could hear some movement in the room before the door opened and she was allowed to enter.

"What is it you know, _Manteío_? You do understand that I do not appreciate it to be interrupted when I have specifically requested to be alone."

"I do understand that, and I do not mean any disrespect, but I know you will want to hear this," the woman answered.

"Then, by all means, tell me. I will decide whether it was worth my time," he said as he walked back towards his wooden desk.

She took a deep breath before she outed the knowledge she had recently acquired. "They have started planning and will soon be reunited with the girl."

When the man sat up in interest she continued. "The inhabitants of the castle have decided and started packing up. They'll completely disappear from the grid in a week and a half."

"You mean that we will know her location within two weeks, if you follow the black while we follow the scents," he clarified.

"Yes."

The man hummed, sitting back in his chair. "Thank you for this information. You may leave now."

The woman nodded her head and quickly left the room. As he heard the front door closing he sighed and turned around to face the corner of the room.

"Hmm," he murmured. "She thinks she is so important, doesn't she? Shall I tell you a little secret?"

The old man sitting in the corner looked up at him with wide eyes. He chuckled evilly as he heard the heart rate of the feeble human speed up.

He leaned forward before he whispered. "She is not of any more significance than you are, dear Antonio."

The man sat back in his chair. "In fact, if your lovely employers and their so-called niece were not so fond of you, you would have been dead a few years ago."

Antonio shook his head while the sadness was clear in his eyes. He had been captured long ago and was locked away in this building with three others who had joined him last week. Although he obviously hoped that they would all somehow come out of this mess unscathed, he knew that chances were big that a sacrifice would have to be made either way. And as much as he wanted to live, he would rather die knowing Isabella was safely out of the evil man's hands.

The chef was an old man; he knew he had just years, maybe a decade, to live before his body would give out on its own. But he knew the other three who had been abducted not long ago were younger and could live happy lives for longer if they would ever escape this mess.

What saddened Antonio even more was the reason he had been captured. The one who was overseeing the entire operation had never straight up told him, but it was not hard to guess from all the conversations he had overheard that they were bait. Isabella, blesses her, had a heart of gold and would do anything for those who she loved. While most of her friends and adopted family were vampires, and thus not easy to capture, she had also befriended several humans. Her love for others was unique, and it was also exactly what would be used against her.

He could only hope she understood that he and the others would sacrifice their lives without hesitation if it meant she nd the rest of the world could live in peace because of it.

-oOo-

"Have you heard anything from Peter?" Jane asked as she entered the conference room, which had been turned into an office for the time being. She quickly closed the door to block out all the commotion in the hallway.

Jasper looked up from the last papers he had to go through. "No, I haven't spoken to him since this morning. I did, however, get a text from Charlotte stating they have departed."

The small vampire hummed. "It is quite a chaos in the other parts of the castle. I believe some people would do well with a little more guidance."

"I'll look into it when I'm finished in here," Jasper promised. "It won't do any well to anyone if no one is thinking straight."

With a nod Jane left the room, Just as the door was about to close Carlisle hurried inside and sat down in the chair opposite of the Southern vampire. "Do you know anything on the whereabouts of Charlie Swan?"

Jasper frowned. "I don't think so? The last time we checked on him and Renée they were still under the protection of the group who was on a mission to Canada the day of the incident in Florence. Why do you ask?"

"I just got off the phone with William Black," Carlisle said. When Jasper looked at him, confused, he elaborated. "He is a wolf shapeshifter, a descendant of Ephraim Black. I met Ephraim, and even his father when I travelled along the west coast one day."

"And what does this shapeshifter want from us?" Jasper asked, looking confused. "How did he get your phone number in the first place?"

"William and the Quileute tribe are from La Push, which is not far away from Forks. He is friends with Charlie, and he often came around for dinner. But Charlie disappeared a week ago; he left for a conference in Seattle on Monday. He was supposed to be back by Wednesday, but he never returned. The police have been trying to find him, but it was to no avail."

The Southern vampire sat up straight. "Charlie is gone? That is definitely not a good sign. Are you sure he has completely disappeared? "

"William and his pack have been searching for him, as the clues left behind did not make sense at all. Charlie would always leave a message if he knew he would be out of town for longer than expected, but they have heard nothing from him. When they went to investigate in Seattle, as well as the road leading to the city, but they could not even find a trace of scent," Carlisle said.

"They think he was taken," Jasper stated as he looked Carlisle in the eye. "We should send someone to take a look and investigate this further. If Charlie Swan is really gone that can provide us with some serious problems."

"The shapeshifters have been trying to find him," Carlisle said. "They started searching through his house and found some of the pictures we have sent him through the years. William recognized me from one of the drawings his ancestors made."

"And Charlie still has your number," Jasper nodded. "What is it they want from us?"

"Charlie is like family to them," Carlisle explained. "And they protect their own. William has been trying to get him officially included in the tribal community for years now, sadly to no avail. But no matter what the papers say, everyone is very fond of the Chief of Police, and they want to make sure he gets back safe."

"The shapeshifters want to help?" Jasper clarified. When Carlisle nodded he sat back, a pensive look on his face. "We should talk to the kings, but in my opinion it is the best to accept all reliable help we can get."

"You are right," Carlisle nodded. "If we want to bring this to a good end we'll need to unite with everyone who offers their help."

"I'll go and subdue the chaos from the others now," Jasper said. "Would you mind searching for the kings? We might have to do some convincing. I believe Caius had some rather... unpleasant encounters with wolves in the past."

Carlisle stood up from his chair. "That is a great idea, I will try and gather everyone within half an hour. Where should we meet again?"

"Let's meet up in here," Jasper said. "We will be able to explain everything without immediately alarming the rest of the castle."

"I will see you back here." Carlisle turned around and left the room. Jasper sighed before he too stood up from the chair he had been sitting in.

It was time to set everything into motion.

* * *

 _A/N: Hey, I'm finally back with a new chapter for you this week :) Some mystery for you today (or not, it isn't that hard to guess who visited our lovely friend in the middle of nowhere) The Quilleutes have entered the game as well, so the action can finally begin... soon at least ;)_

 _Thank you to all who reviewed last chapter! It makes me very happy to see what you think of my story. I'll try and upload again as soon as I can, but I don't know when that will be as I'm kind of a mess at the moment. Please make sure to leave a review for this new chapter :)_

 _\- Laura_

Update: _I (again) forgot to mention that Bella is currently 15 years old ;)_


	22. Chapter 22 - Dreaming

**Chapter 22 - Dreaming**

Isabella climbed into the back of the van they would be using to travel to their next location. The others had managed to make it a bit more comfortable, and she was now able to sit or lay on a soft bench during the long drive. Seatbelts were not needed as the vampire with her would just catch her if she was about to be jostled around.

"Are you comfortable?" Rose asked, jumping into the van and closing the door.

The girl nodded. "Yes, it's perfect."

"We will probably make our first stop in four or five hours," Rosalie explained. "If something is wrong, please tell me."

"That's alright," Isabella said yawning. The beautiful vampire smiled and helped the girl to get comfortable before she told her mate that they could start driving.

An hour later they reached the highway and Emmett sped up. Rosalie was reading a book, Isabella's head lying in her lap, neither of them saying a word. The sound of the engine was lulling the girl into a sleep like state and she had trouble staying awake.

Rosalie looked up from her book. "You can go to sleep, it's alright. I'll wake you up if something happens. I'm right here."

"Okay," Isabella murmured. "Thank you."

It was not long before her eyes drifted closed.

-o-

"Bella," a soft voice said. "Isabella, wake up little one."

Isabella groaned as she turned onto her other side. She was so comfortable; she did not want to wake up yet. A peaceful feeling was surrounding her and it was a welcome change from her usual state of being. She really did not want to leave it to face all problems in the real world.

"You don't have to do that yet," the voice continued, a melodious chuckle following the spoken words. "But you have to open your eyes. It would make it much easier for us to communicate, you understand."

A frown appeared on Isabella's face. She did not think she had said that out loud. Come to think of it, she did not recognize the voice either. It had something familiar, but it was most certainly not someone she knew.

Quickly she sat upright, her eyes flying open and scanning her surroundings. Confused she let her gaze fall down to the ground, before looking around once more. This was not the place she had fallen asleep in, she was sure of it.

The sun was shining down upon her; she could smell the strong scent of the flowers. The grass seemed to be greener than usual, as did the leaves of the trees surrounding the meadow she had apparently landed in.

"Bella?" the soft voice suddenly said again.

Isabella whipped her head up and saw a woman standing on the grass a few feet away. She was very pretty; her hair was a deep shade of gold and her eyes the colour of hazel. She was wearing a simple light blue dress, her feet bare.

"Have you seen everything now?" the woman asked amused, her eyes shining with mirth.

Isabella blushed. "Yes, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, little one," the woman said with a wink. "Now, why don't we move on? We have got quite some things to do, and we do not have much time."

She motioned for Isabella to follow her. After a little hesitation the girl stood up from her spot on the grass and walked towards the woman.

"What is your name?"

"They call me Emma here," the woman answered. "According to the others my given name is too complex; Emma was the name which came closest in sounds. I kind of like it, actually."

"Emma," Isabella muttered to herself. She did not recognize the name, which disappointed her. She had hoped that if she could put a name to face that she would finally know why the woman looked so familiar.

Emma smiled. "Come on, let's walk for a bit. We have places to go, and we sadly don't have much time today."

Although she would not usually follow strangers Isabella walked along Emma into the forest. Deep down in her gut she knew it was of great importance to trust this woman. The aura surrounding her seemed very powerful, and the girl got the feeling Emma was way older than she appeared to be.

They did not talk, but the silence between them was filled with the sounds of nature. Dozens of birds flew through the trees, the leaves rustling with the movement. Isabella even spotted a few deer standing at a creek, not too far away from the path they were walking on.

"Where are we?" she suddenly asked. As it was she desperately wanted to understand how she had ended up in such a wonderful place.

"We're where your soul wants us to be," Emma answered. "The meadow, the forest and the place we are on our way to right now."

The girl raised cocked an eyebrow. "That is an extremely cryptic answer."

Emma chuckled. "You're right, but I'm not trying to fool you. This place would have looked different if someone else had entered it instead. These are the places where you feel safe and at peace."

"So, let's say, if I wanted to be on top of a mountain in the snow, this place would change?" Isabella asked.

"No, it would not," Emma said, shaking her head. "We are here because you needed the peace of the nature to feel safe. It is not what your brain thinks you want, but what you soul says."

"Very philosophical," Isabella commented. "But I get it. Now, where is it we are going?"

"We're almost there," Emma answered, pointing at a small house not far away. "The others are already waiting for you in there. They have been looking forward to this moment for years now."

"Others?" the girl asked, her eyes widening. She really did not think that she was ready to let go of the peaceful feeling she had found. Meeting strangers was not really a priority of hers right now.

"You don't have to worry," Emma said, trying to reassure the now slightly panicked girl. "They aren't strangers. You've met before, I believe."

Isabella frowned, but followed Emma as they neared the house. Smoke was rising from the chimney, and she smiled as the sweet smell of freshly baked goods wafted her way. It reminded her of Antonio, her old friend. She had, obviously, not seen him since she last left the castle and she wondered what he was up to these days. Mentally she made a note to ask Rosalie about him when she returned.

"Don't worry so much," Emma said, bumping her shoulder into the teenager's. "You can do that when you're back with your friends. For now, just allow everything to wash over you."

"Alright," Isabella sighed. "Let's go."

As they arrived at the front door Emma stopped the girl before she could knock. "This is where I leave you to fend for yourself."

"Why?" Isabella asked. "I only just met you! Can't you stay a little longer?"

"I'm sorry, I can't," Emma answered, giving Isabella a tight hug. "Don't worry, we'll meet again someday."

"But-" the girl started. She halted her words when she noticed Emma was no longer standing in the spot she had been only seconds before. After taking a moment to calm down she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Not much later it slowly opened, revealing a beautiful smiling woman with dark brown hair.

"Isabella, tesoro!" she gushed. "Look at you, all grown up!"

It took Isabella a moment before she finally recognized the woman.

"Didyme?" she asked, her eyes widening.

The woman smiled. "The one and only. Why don't you come in?"

Stunned Isabella followed Didyme into the house. They walked through the hallway and entered a door, which led them to a small kitchen. At the dining table another woman was seated, reading what looked like a very old book. Her bright red hair was up in a messy bun, her green eyes rapidly flying across the pages. When Isabella and Didyme stepped into the kitchen she looked up.

"Ah! Our lovely Isabella! How are you doing?" the red-haired woman asked happily.

"I- I'm alright," the girl stuttered. "Who are you?"

"Oh, how foolish of me! I completely forgot that we haven't met before. My name is Aemilia," she said as she stood up from her chair. "Would you like some cake? Didy and I have been baking all morning. You look like you could use some food."

"Sure," Isabella nodded, trying to process everything that was happening.

"Why don't you take a seat?" Didyme asked softly.

The two of them walked over to the table and took a seat opposite of each other. Not much later Aemilia joined them too, placing cups of tea and plates with cake in front of all of them. It was quiet for a moment as they sipped on their tea.

"Why am I here?" Isabella asked as she placed her cup back on the table. "And how come I ended up here?"

Aemilia chuckled as she threw a look at Didyme. "And this is where the curiosity starts. I told you, it's a family trait!"

Didyme chastised the red-haired woman before she looked up at the girl who was blushing. "We needed to have a talk, that's the reason you're here. And for how you ended up here; it's as much of a mystery to you as it is to me. I only now this place brings you peace, but I don't know the mechanics of how exactly anyone ends up here."

"Emma said something like that, yeah," Isabella said. "Who is Emma, anyway? Before I could ask her she had disappeared."

"Emma is our oldest sister," Aemilia explained. "She loves to confuse us by coming and going as she wills, she's the only one who can do that here. Well, if you look at it from the bright side; at least her absence will give us a bit of privacy."

"She's your sister?" the girl asked, frowning.

Aemilia nodded. "And she is yours too, just like you are our little one. We are all ancestors, and as such we call ourselves sisters."

"You know the dreams you used to have when you were younger?" Didyme asked as she spotted the girl's growing confusion. When she nodded the woman elaborated. "It is one of the many ways to either calm or inform our youngest one. It is important to know where you came from, even if not all was puppies and sunshine."

Isabella bit her lip. "But how come I saw you as a mother when I was small? I do not remember ever dreaming of having sisters."

"When you were younger you were in need of a motherly figure, as it is who a child looks up to. And thus I was there for you like a mother would be, maybe not in reality, but I was there in your dreams," Didyme clarified.

"Do those dreams usually stop? It has been years since the last one for me," Isabella asked, leaning forward.

"They usually get less frequent, until you are only shown one when you are truly in need of guidance. By that time you are old enough to fend for yourself, and you come to see your ancestors as your sisters. Your physical and mental age will then be almost the same and you will be able to stand by their side as an equal," Didyme said.

"Do you have any other questions? Now is the time you can ask us," Aemilia said.

Isabella doubted for a moment before she posed the question which had been on her mind for quite some time now. "Does everything- I mean do the powers and all..."

"They will strengthen over time," Didyme answered, feeling the girl's concern. "You will have to keep training to make sure you don't weaken. It is just like learning any other new skill; if you do not keep up with your practice you will forget and weaken again."

"Hey! You stole my line," Aemilia said, throwing a playful glare at her sister before she turned around to Isabella. "But she is right. And then there is the fact that you will be able to foster all the power of the sisters who came before you."

"What does that mean?" Isabella asked, squinting her eyes.

"It means that with the proper training you will become more powerful than anyone who will fight against you."

The girl's eyes widened before she took a sip of tea. She contemplated for a moment before she sat up straight. "I'm sorry if I'm being blunt now, but how come that everyone before me died if we are such powerful creatures?"

"Well, you see," Didyme started. "We might be powerful with a bit of training, but we are not perfect beings. We have flaws, just like any another person."

"Like the transporting, for example," Aemilia added. "That's all very nice, but do you suffer under a bit of stress? Then suddenly your body can not find the right way to get you out of the situation."

Didyme nodded at her sister's words. "Or the 'no killing act'. How will we keep the peace if the one who disturbs it is still alive and dancing around? We have to go all around and find someone else who wants to work together with us and end the enemy."

"And have you noticed that none of us can sing? It's such a pity," Aemilia sighed.

Didyme hit her sister on the back of the head. "Don't go around and insult us!"

"What?" Aemilia said as she grinned. "You know it's true."

Isabella chuckled at the two sisters. You could see that they really were in tune of each other. It wasn't anything new to her; she had seen it when Jane and Alec interacted. There were times she had longed for such a connection, and it seemed she had gotten lucky as she had been born right into the middle of one.

When Aemilia and Didyme were finally finished with their bantering the red-haired woman turned back around. The expression on her face was serious again, and she continued. "Lastly there is the loving part. The love and affection we are capable of holding for others is a beautiful thing, truly. But the incapability to sacrifice someone can present you with difficulties."

It was quiet for a moment as the girl let the words sink in on her. It was a lot to take in, but she felt like she already was better prepared for whatever would come to her in the future. She knew she was lucky to be a descendant in a line of such lovely sisters. She just hoped she could live up to their name.

Didyme looked at the clock hanging on the wall and sighed. "It's almost time."

"Already?" Isabella said, shooting up from her chair. "But I haven't even been here for two hours. Can't I stay a little longer?"

"I wish you could," Didyme said as she too stood up and walked over to give the girl a big hug. "But it is like it is. We do not have any control over fate."

"Please remember that we are always here for you, even if you don't always feel it," Aemilia told her. "We are a part of you, at all times."

"Help the others, back home," Didyme whispered in Isabella's ear. "They need comfort just as much as you do. And don't forget that as time goes on, people change and grow up. Become the woman you are meant to be, and find the one who can take care of you, just like you will take care of him."

Isabella frowned. "What do you-"

"It won't always be easy," Aemilia interrupted as she pulled the girl into hug. "Show them who you are and where you come from."

"Not everything is always like it seems," Didyme added. "Don't make any conclusions when you only know a part of the story."

"What will happen when I go back?" Isabella asked, suddenly becoming scared at the prospect of having to return to the real world.

"You'll be who you were always meant to be." Aemilia stated. "And you have to start eating again. Trust me; you'll need your strength."

"I'm scared," Isabella whispered. "What if I can't do it?"

"You can do it," Didyme told her, as she walked up behind them.

The girl buried her head in the crook of Aemilia's neck. "What do I do?"

"Just close your eyes," Didyme said. "You're not alone in this. The others will be there for you too."

Isabella took a deep breath before she smiled a little. With the smell of freshly baked chocolate cake surrounding her she closed her eyes.

-o-

"Bella? Bella, are you okay?"

Isabella frowned as she felt someone shaking her shoulders. Slowly she opened her eyes, looking around. It took a moment before she had adjusted to the dark and could make out the person who was holding her.

"Rose?" Isabella asked as she squinted her eyes. She still felt a little bit drowsy from the dreaming; she could not remember the last time she had slept so deep. The darkness she was in confused her. "Where are we?"

Something was different, something had happened, but she could not quite reach it.

"We're in the van. Are you alright? You were crying, did you have a nightmare?" Rosalie asked as she scanned the girl's confused face.

"A nightmare?" Isabella mumbled as her hand went up to her cheek. She could feel the fresh tears and suddenly everything rushed back to her. The peaceful meadow, Emma, the house, Didyme and Aemilia. "No, it wasn't a nightmare. It was a dream actually."

Rosalie let out a sigh of relief before she helped the girl to sit up. "That's good, I'm happy you slept well. I'm sorry that I woke you up, but you looked quite sad."

"It's alright," Isabella said, reassuring her friend. "It was time for me to go anyhow."

The beautiful vampire frowned. "Time to go? What do you mean?"

"It's nothing," Isabella said as she shook her head. "Are we almost at the first stop?"

"We're just five minutes away right now," Rose answered, sitting back against the side of the van. "Emmett wants me to let you know that you'll be able to go out there. Peter just confirmed that there are no cameras or others nearby."

Isabella nodded as she shifted on the cushion she was sitting on. She was happy that she would be able to stretch her legs for a bit, and maybe even walk around. Sitting in a van all day would not have had a positive effect on her mood at all. It would be nice to get out for a bit and breathe some fresh air.

Rose made sure Isabella stayed in place when the van made a sharp turn. A few minutes later they slowed down and came to a stop. The door opened and the daylight quickly streamed into the dark space.

"Hey Bells," Emmett said happily. "Let's get you out of here for a bit, now shall we?"

The girl smiled and stood up, walking to the opened door before carefully jumping out. She let out a big yawn before she slowly stretched all of her limbs, the joints making dangerous cracking noises that made Rosalie cringe.

As they were standing outside another car approached the gas station. It parked right next to the van, before the engine was turned off. A second later Peter and Charlotte stepped out and walked over to the other three.

"Good morning," Peter drawled as he grinned.

Rosalie shook her head before she turned around to the girl. "Do you need something? I can get you something from the shop here."

"Could you maybe get me something fresh to eat?" Isabella asked, oblivious to the fact that her request completely stunned her friends. "I'm quite hungry."

Rosalie opened her mouth to say something before decided against it. She turned around and walked towards the shop. The reason why the girl so suddenly asked for food instead of rejecting it could wait. Emmett saluted to Isabella before he trailed after his mate.

"I'm going to look if they have any good CDs in there," Charlotte said as she threw a glare at Peter. "If I need to listen to that crap you call music for one more minute I might be tempted to destroy something."

The woman walked towards the building, leaving the girl in the company of the Southern vampire. Isabella took a deep breath in before she looked up at her friend.

"Peter? How did you train your gift?"

* * *

 _A/N: Hey there! This chapter is a bit different from the others, but I hope some more questions have been answered about Isabella. Or maybe the confrontation only presents us with more mystery? I'll have to wait and see. Next time all vamps will be on their way to, hopefully, be reunited with each other ;)_

 _Thank you for reading my story, and a special thanks to all of you who reviewed! It really motivates me to write :) Real Life is a bit of a chaos at the moment and I don't know when the next update will be. Hopefully everything will calm down this week and I'll be able to post a fresh chapter next week. Please make sure to leave a review for this new chapter!_

 _\- Laura_


	23. Chapter 23 - Reunion

**Chapter 23 - Reunion**

"Listen up everyone!" Jasper shouted through the hall. At once the crowd calmed down, the talking ceasing until it was completely quiet.

"It is time to move to the location," he continued. "To make sure everything goes as planned we have set up a few rules and restrictions, which everyone is to follow at all times."

A low murmuring rose from the back of the hall. The people were whispering to each other, the unrest clearly present.

"What rules are there?" a man shouted. "There can't be that many, right?"

Jasper shot the man a look. "You either shut up and listen to me so we can leave as soon as possible, or you can go to a different room and stay behind today. We do not have any time for useless questions, nor do I tolerate being disrespected."

He turned back around to face the crowd. "Now I will tell you the rules. First of all, any command given by me, or one of the kings is to be followed immediately. Do not question us, no matter how unreasonable you think we are acting. Understood?"

"Understood," it sounded.

"Good. Secondly, do not start a fight, unless you are under attack. Remember that today is not the day that we will try and defeat whoever is watching us. Today we will regroup and move to a different area as to have a better oversight on the situation. I would not like it if we had any unnecessary casualties."

Some people started to protest at those words, but they were quickly shushed by the others.

"It is a fact that we will be followed, and we would like to use this to our advantage and confuse them," Jasper told them. "As soon as we leave the castle through the tunnels we will split up in different groups, all going in different directions. Everyone will be stationed near the point we have chosen as the centre of our alignment. When you arrive do not go and wander around unless we ask you too."

"Where will we meet Bella?" a woman in the front asked.

"She and the others arrived at a house near the place we're going a few weeks ago," Jasper explained. "They will be joining us when we have settled. Are there any other questions?"

When no one spoke up again he turned around to the three kings. "Shall we go?"

Caius grinned and walked through the entrance of the passageway, Athenodora following behind them with several guard members. The raven-haired king and his wife waited for a while before they entered as well, taking another part of the guard. This repeated until only Jasper and Demetri were left behind. They split up and checked the castle for anyone who had stayed behind, but luckily everyone had been smart enough to follow the orders.

"There's no one on this side," Demetri reported when he got back.

"Everyone is gone," Jasper nodded. "Then it's our turn to leave."

The two of them entered the passageway, closing the door behind them. It was completely dark inside the tunnels, but with their vampire vision they did not have any problems seeing the way. It only took a few minutes before they reached the end. Jasper climbed up the ladder and pushed up the heavy block above him, sticking his head out of the hole in the ground.

"All clear," he told Demetri, who was still standing at the bottom. Without much effort he pulled himself out, looking at his surroundings as the other vampire followed him. The tunnel had brought them to what seemed to be the middle a forest, but when Jasper looked further on he noticed that they were only a mile or so away from the village.

"This land is the Volturi's isn't it?" Jasper noted.

Demetri nodded. "That is true. It is why we could make this exit here. The area is marked off, and for the ones who do try and sneak in... Well, they are in for a surprise."

Jasper chuckled before he pushed the block back onto the entrance, carefully hiding it in the grass, moss and leaves which were scattered all around. When he was finished he turned back around towards Demetri.

"Let's go."

-oOo-

"Calm down," Rosalie said to Isabella. "Go and find something to do with all of that excess energy of yours.

The girl had been running around all morning and it was starting to get on her nerves. Though she definitely preferred this mood to the one Isabella had been in not too long ago.

"How can I calm down when we're finally meeting the others again? It has been years since I last saw my uncles," Isabella said, her eyes shining with excitement.

Rosalie smiled. "I know, but you're not speeding up the process by running through the house. We still have some last preparations to make, and didn't you still want to practice with Peter?"

Isabella's eyes widened. "I almost forgot! Thank you for reminding me, I'm going to see if he's ready."

The beautiful vampire smiled as the girl rushed out of the room. In the past few weeks Isabella had practically been training her gift non-stop, only taking a break on the day of her sixteenth birthday. They could not get out of her what had motivated her to do so, but it helped that she had something to do now. She had a goal to work towards and she had been putting all of her energy into it.

In the years before Isabella had never tried to actively seek out her gift to use or strengthen it. The amount of information she received was minimal, but it had never occurred to any of them that she would like to improve it. It was an activity they had thought her to do when she was changed one day; not when she still had a beating heart and tired quickly. Something which they had also not anticipated was the amount of improvement she was showing in such a short time.

"Peter?" Isabella called as she exited the house, looking around. Last time she heard of him was this morning when Charlotte had sent him outside to train with Emmett.

"Ah, Bella!" Peter suddenly appeared in front of her, making her jump.

"I told you not to do that!" Isabella scolded, holding a hand to her fast beating heart. "I don't like it when people sneak up on me."

Peter grinned at the pouting girl. "Was there something you needed?"

"I wanted to practise again," she explained. "Do you have some time? I need to help Char to pack some food later, but I don't have anything to do now."

"Of course I have time," Peter answered. "I do need to finish a few last things for our reunion plans, but that can be done this afternoon."

"Where should we go? The porch?" Isabella asked, but Peter shook his head. She raised her eyebrows. "What is your idea?"

"I was thinking we could maybe take things to the next level," he answered.

The girl looked confused. "How would you like to do that?"

"The last few weeks we have been focussing on using your gift when you need information on what is to come, right? You are now able to receive information at will, as well as most of the information you want to have," Peter said. When Isabella nodded he continued. "What we have not practised yet is using your gift while in action."

Isabella's look turned to one of contemplation. "So… You want me to try and use it while I am running, or something?"

"Yes, that was what I was aiming for. I would like for you to try and receive information while you are fighting."

"That sounds awesome," she said as a grin appeared on her face.

"Well, then let's not wait any longer," Peter stated. "Follow me."

-o-

"Come on Bella! Once again, after that you can take a break!" Peter shouted.

Isabella was leaning against the wall, her breathing heavy. The sweat was dripping down her face and she could feel the exhaustion creeping up on her. It was not a pretty sight at all.

They had been training for the past two hours, and although they started easy Peter had been upping the level relentlessly every time she showed improvement. She was thankful for his help, but right now all she wanted to do was murder him before she jumped in bed for a long nap. There was absolutely no way she could take him on once more.

"Bella, you can't give up now!" Peter shouted again. "Show me what you can do!"

She sighed and closed her eyes when suddenly Aemilia's voice sounded in her head.

 _"It won't always be easy. Show them who you are and where you come from."_

Isabella frowned as she slowly opened her eyes and pushed herself away from the wall. Her sister was right, it would not always be easy, but she could not stop now. Her friends needed her, and she wanted to make sure they would be safe. She needed to try again, try harder. With new determination she lifted her head and turned around to face Peter.

The Southern vampire grinned when he saw the look in her eyes. "Ready?"

"Ready," Isabella answered, nodding at him before she charged.

This time it wasn't long before she had her friend against the ground, her hands wrapped around his neck.

"I won," she said, a smile on her face as she got up.

Peter's eyes were wide as a million thoughts ran through his mind. Of course he had not been using his full strength, and he had moved with her every time she pushed him away. But right now he knew that if he had been human he would not have escaped without any injuries at all. Even right now her hands had been gripping him tightly enough to almost crack the skin.

Bewildered Peter got up. "You most certainly did."

Isabella frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, everything is quite alright, actually," the vampire answered, studying the girl, trying to get an answer.

She was about to ask him more when Rosalie walked out of the house. The beautiful vampire looked at the yard and then between the two before she decided that an explanation would not be worth it. The entire yard, which was mainly made out of grass, had turned into one big sandpit. While Peter's clothes were still quite clean and without any damage, Isabella's shirt was ripped in several places, her jeans stained with mud.

The blonde sighed. "Get inside, Bella, and take a shower. Peter, you should start with whatever preparations you still have to make. I can't believe the two of you made such a mess."

"Sorry," Isabella, who had the decency to look guilty, muttered before she walked past Rosalie into the house. Peter, on the other hand, just grinned and was off to the garage.

"Things never get boring with those two around, do they?" Emmett said as he appeared behind his mate, wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her on her head.

Rosalie shook her head. "I don't think so."

-oOo-

"When will they arrive?" Marcus asked Jasper again. "Should they not have arrived already?"

Jasper sighed. "They will arrive within the next ten minutes. The traffic could be holding them up, in which case they could be arriving a little later."

The old king had been pacing back and forward through the house they had set up as their headquarters since Jasper received a text saying the others had left. That was about two hours ago now, and he had not yet been able to calm down.

While his brothers were nervous too, they were much more composed than Marcus, who did not even try to hide the nervousness. He did not like it one bit that Isabella would come here too. They were basically revealing the place she was staying at, and it would not be long before the enemy would come for her. Although he understood it was all necessary, it did not mean he agreed with the course of action.

"Alright," Marcus said, nodding curtly at the Southern vampire who had had to put up with his nerves for the past hour. He returned to his pacing, deep in thought before he stood still again. "We should send out some of the guard to meet them halfway here."

"Please, listen to me," Jasper said, trying to sound as respectful as he could. "I don't mean to disregard you or any of your orders, but everything has been taken care of. We have been planning this for weeks, maybe even months. Isabella will arrive here, safely, together with the others."

Marcus frowned and was about to answer when Alec came running into the room.

"Master, they are here," he said, motioning to the window. "We can hear the car approaching."

The words had barely left his mouth as the old king flew out of the door, pushing the guards in the hallway to the side. Just as he arrived outside Aro held out his hand, grabbing his brother's arm to prevent him from going any further. Marcus sighed and tried to look through the trees to spot the car.

Jasper exited the house, holding in a chuckle at the impatience of the king. Although he did not display it as clearly as Marcus, he too was very excited to finally be reunited with his friends and Bella. It had been too long since he had seen either of them.

It was dark outside, as it was late in the evening. Everyone started to gather in front of the huge house as the car came closer and closer. A minute later the van drove around the corner of the road, coming to a stop next to the house. Peter exited the van and grinned at the ensemble before he walked around to the back, where he opened the door.

Jasper held his breath as he saw Charlotte climbing out of the cargo space. The woman held out a hand to help the girl to safely stand on the ground. Isabella looked up and when she saw her friends and adopted family a smile spread across her face.

"Marcus!" she said, walking forward into the old king's arms. Marcus sighed in relief as he held her close. It had been way too long since he last saw her. After a minute he slowly let her go, holding her at an arm's length as he looked her over.

"You've grown so much, little one," the king told her, looking the girl lovingly into the eye.

"Yeah, I'm not so little anymore," Isabella said grinning. "I missed you."

Marcus embraced her once more before passing her on to her aunts and uncles and all the friends she had not seen in years. While the girl was being greeted by everyone Peter, Charlotte, Rosalie and Emmett walked over to Jasper and the remaining Cullens, who had been viewing the reunion from a distance. They knew they would get a turn to reacquaint later on, and they did not want to smother her.

"Good to see you," Peter told Jasper as he nodded his head at his friend. Jasper grinned and returned the greeting before welcoming the others.

Finally everyone had greeted Isabella and the girl walked over to the friends she had spent the last three and a half years with.

"Hey," she said as she arrived. She looked up at the Cullens. "And hello to you too."

"It is great to see you again," Carlisle said. "It has been quite a while."

"That it has," Isabella agreed before she greeted Esme and Edward as well. When she finally looked up at Jasper she gave him a shy smile. "Hi."

"Good evening," he drawled as he tipped his invisible hat. "I hope you had a nice journey?"

A blush spread across Isabella's face as she looked down at her feet. As she did so she missed the pointed look Peter gave Charlotte, who just shook her head and smiled at him.

"Yes, it was good," Isabella answered. "Charlotte and I just sat in the back and read for a while."

Rosalie chuckled at the predictability of the girl's action, but stopped when Isabella suddenly stiffened. Jasper and the Cullens looked concerned, but Peter and the rest did not seem to think anything was wrong. As quick as it had happened it had passed again, and the girl shook her head.

"And?" Peter enquired, earning questioning looks from the Cullens.

"My uncles want us to gather before I have to rest," Isabella answered, nodding her head towards the entrance of the house. "They want to be able to start the last preparations as soon as possible."

Jasper watched the girl curiously as she spoke. When she was finished he turned around to face the house. "If that is what they want, we should go."

The girl hummed in agreement. "Let's do that."

* * *

 _A/N: Hi there! Through all the chaos I somehow found the time to write a new chapter :) This week the reunion has finally happened! Now everyone has gathered the last preparations can be made. The action will start very soon..._

 _Thank you so much for reading my story and, of course, reviewing! Please make sure to tell me what you think of this new chapter and don't hesitate to point out any mistakes I have made. Reviews always make me very, very happy :)_

 _\- Laura_

 _Update: Hey! For those of you who would have liked this story to be canon; I'm sorry to disappoint you. I did not plan anything, but this just happened - it is, after all, my story ;) To me this is a learning process as much as it is a fun way to use my imagination. For the record; this is not a romance. The focus in this story is on Isabella, her ancestors and the enemy which they will be fighting. Thank you :)_

Reference:

 _"It won't always be easy. Show them who you are and where you come from."_

(Aemilia in chapter 22)


	24. Chapter 24 - Wolves

**Chapter 24 - Wolves**

"They did what?" Isabella shouted in disbelief as she shot up from her chair. "You must be kidding me! This can't be true!"

When it stayed silent she sat back down, a defeated look on her face. "Please tell me that you're joking."

"I'm sorry, little one," Marcus started softly. "We know for sure that it is true."

It was only a day after the reunion, and the Volturi family had sat down to update Isabella on the current circumstances. The girl had slept for a while and had eaten some food which Esme prepared for her. Right now they were sitting in a room which Aro had made into an office and they were telling Isabella what had happened.

The past weeks the Volturi had received more bad news; it seemed like not only Charlie, but also Renée and Phil had disappeared. Yesterday they discovered that Antonio, who had departed to live in Spain with his entire family, had gone missing about a year ago. Earlier on they had presumed that he had passed away, as he was not young, but Peter's gift had told them that was not the truth.

"Why didn't you protect them?" Isabella cried out, putting her head in her hands. "It's all my fault!"

Marcus walked over and put his finger under her chin, making her look up at him. "I am very sorry that we could not protect them like we should have done. We tried, and several guard members checked in on them every day to make sure that they were safe. The others simply caught us unaware when we thought the threat had passed for them. However, it is definitely not your fault; there is nothing you could have done to prevent this from happening. Please do not blame yourself."

"But they should've never even been included in this!" Isabella said, shaking her head. "It's all my fault! If I had not existed none of them would have ever known about the supernatural and they would not have been taken away."

"We do not know that," Sulpicia told her from her spot on Aro's lap. "We do not know how things would have gone if you had not been here. What I do know is that I would not change this for anything, no matter how serious the situation in which we are currently is. We love you, Isabella, and we would not want to miss you."

Isabella sighed and slumped back into her chair. "I just wish it was different."

"So do we," Jasper said as he entered the room together with Peter and Charlotte. "But the only thing we can do now is improving the current circumstances." He turned around to face Caius. "The wolves will be arriving soon, either this afternoon or evening."

"Wolves?" Isabella asked, her curiosity awakened. "What kind of wolves? How did you find them? Are they a threat?"

"They are no threat to us," Jasper told her. "The wolves I am talking about are from the Quileute reservation near Forks. They are a pack of shapeshifters, and the alpha is a friend of Charlie Swan. We created a treaty with them when they contacted us and they are willing to help us to fight. Especially when we told them what exactly was happening. It is in their blood to protect the humans as much as possible and they consider vampires their natural enemies. However, when they heard about the ancient vampire and his plans they realized that we are not the threat in this situation."

Isabella thought it was very interesting that the vampires and wolves had signed a treaty; it seemed very out of character for both of the groups. However, the name 'Quileute' did ring a bell. She contemplated on it for a moment before a vague memory of a fishing trip came up. She had not lived with Charlie for long, but she used to visit him quite often when she still lived in America. Together they would often go on fun adventures, many of which she knew involved Charlie's best friends and their families.

The fishing trip had been quite an interesting experience, as she had at the time not been able to control the powers she possessed. She had excitedly told Charlie that he would catch a fish only seconds before it actually happened. The chief of police had stammered as he made up a vague explanation for Billy, but the man had simply shrugged it off while looking at Isabella curiously.

"Is Billy Black one of them?" Isabella asked as realization came over her.

"Exactly," Jasper nodded. "William and his pack are the ones who will be arriving later today."

"I just hope we can safely rescue Charlie and the others," Isabella whispered. "They do not deserve treatment like this after all they have done for me."

Marcus put his hand on her shoulder. "We will do everything in our power to save them, little one."

They sat in silence for a while, the only sound being that of their breaths and the beating heart of the girl. Isabella's thoughts kept moving back to the abducted humans who had such a special place in her heart. She knew that she was the reason that they were connected to the supernatural, and it made her feel undeniably guilty. Her rational side kept telling her that she did not have any power over the actions of others, but her other side dragged her deeper into her dark thoughts.

A wave of calm tinted with warm security wafted her way, pulling her back to the present. Confused Isabella furrowed her brows, before she smiled slightly and turned around.

"Thanks," she whispered to the blond vampire, who just nodded at her.

"I think it is time for some distraction," Peter said as he stepped from his spot next to the door. "No one has ever felt better by overthinking things. Anyone who wants to join me outside? The others are currently training, I believe."

"I'll come with you," Isabella told him, standing up. Both Charlotte and Jasper followed them out of the huge mansion into the yard.

They had to walk through the surrounding forest for a few minutes before they arrived at an enormous clearing. Several of the guard members were already fighting with each other, Demetri and Felix standing at the side giving instructions.

Of course everyone already knew what to do when the attack would happen, but it was for their own peace of mind that they rehearsed and practiced every day. Isabella and Peter had informed them of the continuously rising numbers the enemy had gathered, and it worried them greatly that they would not be able to take them on. But there was no going back now.

At Peter's advice Isabella took a seat on a boulder at the side of the clearing, which gave her a good view of the training session. The Southern vampire had promised her they would practice later on, but he wanted her to simply watch for now. Last night had been a short one, and she was not completely rested yet.

The others decided that they would participate in the training as well and left her to sit all alone. They had only just started practicing when Rosalie sat down next to her.

"Hey."

"Hi," Isabella said distractedly as she looked at a duo that was fighting nearby.

Rosalie followed the girl's gaze and raised her eyebrows. When she saw who Isabella was looking at she sniggered.

"Someone has a crush," Rosalie whispered in a sing-song voice.

"What?" Isabella said, whipping her head around. "No, of course not."

"I saw you looking," Rosalie told her, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Do you really think I believe you? I think you'd look cute together."

"Stop," Isabella whined as a blush crept up on her cheeks. "That just wouldn't work out! Besides, he is like what, a hundred and sixty years old? I'm only sixteen."

Rosalie gave the girl a stern look. "Do you truly believe age matters in the supernatural world? I was older than Emmett when we met, and look at Carlisle; he was even older when he found Esme. I don't see any reason why you couldn't be together."

Isabella shrugged, feigning disinterest. "The answer is still no."

Rosalie sighed at the stubbornness but decided to keep quiet. Fate would probably find a way to get through the thick skull of the girl.

-oOo-

Demetri and Jasper volunteered to pick up the wolf pack up from the forest near the town closest to their headquarters. The vampires had carefully wiped out their trails when they had moved here - even though they knew they probably had been followed - and as such the wolves would not be able to follow their scents. Next to that the Volturi wanted to be prepared and know when exactly their newly found allies would arrive.

When the two vampires arrived they were met with quite the sight. A group of twenty four horse-sized wolves were positioned in an arrow like formation. In the middle stood a tall human man with short black hair.

Jasper was the first to step forward and greeted them. "Good afternoon. I presume you are the alpha of this pack, William Black?"

"Indeed I am," the man answered, still not moving from his spot. "And you must be Jasper Whitlock."

"That is true," Jasper nodded. "It is nice to meet you, although I wish the circumstances weren't so dire. The others are waiting for us at our camp, so if you don't mind you can follow us. We will be leading you towards the house."

Jasper knew that their offer to turn their back to the wolves would prove that they were willing to keep true to their side of the treaty. He had practically said they would put themselves in a vulnerable position, which asked for a lot of trust in the shapeshifters. Though he would still be able to fend off any attacks, would something go wrong.

He could feel how tense the pack was to be so close to one of their natural enemies, and the reminder of the existence of vampires only made them more in tune with their instincts. Although the smell of the wolves set off an alarm within Jasper too, he was able to force it to the back of his mind. It was very important that they would learn how to work together. They needed all help they could get.

"Lead the way," Billy told them, before he walked towards a group of bushes and shifted into his wolf form. He barked his orders to the rest of the pack and they turned around to face the vampires.

"Alright," Jasper said. He motioned for Demetri to follow him and started running. First he was holding back on his speed, but he soon realized the wolves could easily keep up and ran on as fast as he could. All of his instincts were warning him for the creatures who he knew possessed enough strength to kill a vampire, but he had the situation under control. Hopefully the others remembered the speech he had given a few days ago when the arrival date had been announced.

It took a while before they finally arrived at the headquarters of the camp, also better known as the mansion the kings, queens and Isabella were stationed at. The three brothers were already waiting outside, ready to welcome their unusual allies.

Isabella had wanted to be there too, but Marcus had refused to let her come. The teen had been very angry at him for that and had not spoken to him for hours after the conversation. Not that it had helped one bit, as the old king had stood by his point.

The girl was now inside the house together with her aunts. Aro had, to Marcus's dismay, promised that she would be allowed to meet the wolves not too long after they arrived if they turned out not to be too dangerous, which had lightened her mood slightly.

"Welcome," Aro said, clasping his hands together as he took a step forward. "My name is Aro Volturi, and these are my brothers, Caius and Marcus. We rule the vampire world and try to keep the peace. We would like to express our appreciation for your help in these dark times."

There was some noise between the wolves, but after some orders they quieted down.

Aro continued, "Inside there are enough beds for those of you who want to sleep, or if you would feel better elsewhere there are tents you can set up. I believe Esme Cullen is already cooking up a meal; when you are hungry you are very welcome in the kitchen. Please, make yourselves at home. It would be best for all if we make this acquaintance as comfortable as possible."

One of the wolves, who Jasper recognized to be the alpha, broke away from the pack and walked into the nearby bushes. A second later he returned in his human form, wearing cut-off jeans.

"My name is William Black and this is my pack," the man said. "Alliances like these are not ones we would normally make, but since Charlie and Isabella are involved we are willing to make an exception. Thank you for your offer, but would prefer to sleep in tents, or else our instincts would probably keep us awake. And I believe we are all very hungry for food as our journey was a long one. I must ask though, where is Isabella?"

"I'm here," Isabella said as she exited the house. Marcus gave her a pleading look, but she studiously ignored him as she walked up to Billy and held out her hand. "It's nice to see you again, Billy."

Billy smiled and shook her hand. "It has been a long time. How have you been?"

The two of started chatting and caught each other up on the last few years, Billy telling her how Charlie had been doing and Isabella talking about her life with the vampires. Everyone else looked on in astonishment as the two laughed and chatted like they were old friends. When Marcus watched the interaction he relaxed slightly, as was Jasper who had been watching the pack of wolves and their alpha very closely.

The Volturi all tensed up when a smaller wolf broke from the group and walked towards the two. But unlike anyone had expected Isabella smiled when she saw him, her eyes lighting up with joy.

"Jake!" she said as she walked toward him. "I remember you! We used to play together on the beach when we were like, three or four years old. We definitely were best friends."

The wolf sent her something like a grin and pushed his nose against her hand. Isabella smiled and patted him on the head. "Why don't you all change back and get some food? Esme is an amazing cook and she has been in the kitchen all day."

The wolves looked up at Billy, who nodded at them, giving them the okay to change into their human forms. They all emerged from the bushes not much later, wearing some clothes. It turned out that the wolves were a mix of both men and women and the ages differed as well. If Jasper could guess he would say that the oldest looked about thirty, while the youngest looked like he was fifteen. All of them followed Isabella into the house, chattering with each other and asking the girl a ton of questions about her life, which she happily answered.

Stunned the vampires looked on, before they finally snapped out of it. Jasper shook his head bewildered before he told the others to go on with whatever tasks they had been given. Interesting experiences were definitely waiting for them.

-oOo-

Isabella turned out to be the perfect person to ease the tension between the shapeshifters and the vampires. Jasper had been worried that the supernatural creatures would get distracted if they trained with, or near, each other, but after a while they somehow figured out how to work together like a team.

Although the Quileutes still did not agree with the drinking of human blood, they understood that it was necessary for the vampires to stay as strong as possible. Next to that it was much easier to come by then animal blood and no one wanted to cause too much disruption in the cycle of nature by murdering out all animals. After a long talk between the Volturi and the Quileutes the vampires agreed to try and at least find the evil humans to feed on. It was still not completely acceptable to the wolves, but it was a compromise.

Days turned into weeks, which turned into months and still no one had made a move to attack. They were all prepared for something to happen at any minute, but more and more people started to worry as Peter and Isabella kept them informed of the still rising numbers which the ancient vampire had on his side. The training hours were upped and everyone was constantly thinking up different tactics and tools which could be used in the fight.

Isabella, on the other hand, did not seem worried at all. Logically, she knew that she should be scared or at least slightly worried, but something deep inside her told her it would be alright.

Months turned into a year, season after season until a day arrived which was different from the others. The vampires and wolves were of course still on guard, but they wanted to take the time to celebrate the girl's birthday. Isabella turned seventeen that day, and she could not remember the last time she experienced such a fun and relaxed day. For a while she was actually able to forget about all of the commotion and stress. That night she fell asleep with a content smile on her face.

However, it seemed that nothing could stay relaxed for very long. It was only a few hours after the ending of her birthday that the vampires discovered that Isabella had disappeared.

* * *

 _A/N: Hello! I'm back with another chapter for you today! Isabella has a crush, the wolves have finally arrived and everyone is training very hard. But now Bella is gone..._

 _Reviews make me very happy, so if you have the time please leave me some words :)_

 _Another chapter will be waiting for you next week and you'll find out what has happened to Isa. Please feel free to point out any mistakes I have made and I'll see you later!_

 _\- Laura_


	25. Chapter 25 - Meditation

**Chapter 25 - Meditation**

"Shit, they are going to kill me!" Isabella murmured as she looked around with wide eyes. "Why on earth did I need to disappear now, of all times?"

She had just been rudely awakened as she fell down somewhere in the middle of a desert. It was surprisingly cold and she was only wearing her pyjamas. She knew she had to find a way to get out of here as quick as possible, but she really had no idea how she would do that.

Suddenly a tingling feeling crept up her spine and she slowly turned around, only to jump back when she was met with a pair of bright red eyes. "Oh my God, you scared the hell out of me! I don't like to be crept up on!"

Confused the black-haired vampire looked at the girl. "What are you doing here, human?"

"Oh, I'm not human, alright," Isabella muttered sarcastically before she analyzed the man and sighed. "Only I would figure out a way to suddenly teleport to another place with vampires."

"You are not human?" the vampire asked before he carefully took a whiff of her scent. His eyes widened as he detected the faint smell of vampires on the girl's clothes. "You have been with more of my kind?"

"Yep," Isabella nodded. "For a while now, actually, and I would really appreciate it if you could help me to find them. They'll probably have already started a searching party and I would like to avoid any ruthless vampire searches. Where are we, anyway?"

The black-haired vampire looked at her curiously as he answered. "We are in Egypt."

"Egypt?" Isabella asked surprised. She had never before ended up on a different continent than America and Italy. "Well, thank you for informing me- What is your name?"

"I am Benjamin," the vampire answered. "I'm part of the Egyptian coven. Who is it you need to get back to?"

Isabella hesitated before she decided that the blunt answer was the easiest way to go about it. "The Volturi and the Cullens, they should be somewhere near Russia. Or was it Germany?" She cocked her head in contemplation. "Shit, I should've paid more attention when we were moving again. Then, again, I was locked up in the back of a van, so I was not really able to see much…"

"You want me to call the Volturi for you?" Benjamin asked her with an astonished look on his face. "How do you know of them? And do you honestly want me to believe that you lived with them?"

"Well, you wouldn't be able to reach them as they have moved from Italy and disconnected all their phones," Isabella said, pulling at the sleeves of her pyjama shirt. "But I do know the phone number by heart. Do you maybe have a phone I could borrow? That would also prove I am speaking the truth."

"I don't know," Benjamin said as he frowned. "I do not have a phone on me, but we could go to my home. I live there-"

"With Amun, Kebi and your mate, Tia," Isabella nodded. "Amun won't be very happy with you letting me in at first, but I believe he will get better."

Taken off guard Benjamin stared at her before he cleared his throat. "I don't pay much attention to Amun's mood. Do you want to hop on my back? It will only take a few minutes for us to reach the house."

"Sure," Isabella told him. She was getting cold and she knew Benjamin would not try to hurt her. Even if he did want to do so he would not be able to. Not that he needed to know about that right now.

Just like the vampire had said it only took a few minutes before they arrived at the house. In front of the enormous building, which Isabella would classify as a palace, stood a beautiful woman with hair just as dark as Benjamin's.

"Ben?" the woman asked before she continued in a language Isabella did not understand.

Benjamin nodded and answered in that same language, lowering the girl down to the ground. The woman turned around and analyzed her with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You claim to know the Volturi," she stated, her tone far from believing. "You are aware of the existence of vampires, while you are not one. What has happened to get you in this position?"

Isabella sighed. She really should not have expected to be trusted this easily. "I will tell you the entire story from the beginning if you lend me your phone first. And may I please come inside? It's getting quite cold out here."

The woman hesitated, but after sharing a look with Benjamin she reluctantly held open the door. "Benjamin will bring you to our living room while I fetch a phone. Keep in mind that we can kill you within the blink of an eye if it turns out that you are not speaking the truth."

"If you can so easily kill me, and I am such a burden, why didn't you do it already?" Isabella asked her, a mischievous look in her eyes as she walked past the two vampires and towards the door of the living room. Both Benjamin and Tia stood perplexed before they split up. This would certainly be an interesting conversation.

Meanwhile Isabella was already walking around in the living room. Different shelves and cabinets were filled with trinkets of all ages from across the world. She let her finger slide over the backs of the books in the bookcase but paused when she neared the window.

From it she had view of the yard behind the house and Isabella was surprised to see that it was just a sandy area surrounded by high walls. She imagined it would manage to keep the vampires shielded from human eyes during the day, but why was it there if there was nothing to do in the yard itself?

"The backyard is where we do all our training," Benjamin explained as he walked up next to her. "I like to practice often, as does Tia. Amun tries to keep us inside as much as possible; he is worried that we will want to leave if we feel strong enough. The only reason I was out tonight is because Amun and Kebi were out hunting."

"Do you?" Isabella asked him. "Do you want to leave, I mean?"

Benjamin smiled. "I would like to go out and explore the world at some point in time, yes, but I am content living here for now."

"Isabella," Tia called as she entered the room. "Here is the phone. I would like to ask you to call soon, as Amun and Kebi will arrive within a few hours. Amun is not as... hospitable as we are."

Isabella nodded, taking the phone from Tia's hand. "Which means that he'll throw a fit about you letting me in and helping me. Don't worry; I wasn't planning on putting off this call anyway."

She took a deep breath and dialled the number Marcus had pressed that she'd learn when they had been reunited. Never before had she been so thankful for his overprotectiveness.

 _"Marcus Volturi"_

"Hi," she managed to get out before the questions and shouting started.

 _"Isabella? Is that you? Where are you? With who are you? What happened? Are you safe? Aro, Caius, come here! I have Isabella on the phone right now."_

"Hey Marcus," she said, trying to convey as much calm in her voice as possible. "I am safe, yes. I'm in Egypt right now, together with Benjamin and Tia from the Egyptian coven. I teleported here an hour ago, I ended up somewhere in the middle of the desert."

 _"We were so worried! We are very happy that you are safe. Are you hurt, little one? And can you be a little more specific on your location?"_

"No, I'm not hurt," Isabella told him. "I don't know where we are, but I don't believe that I should tell you."

 _"What? Of course you should! We need to be able to send the guard to safely bring you back."_

"That is exactly why I don't want to tell you," she explained carefully. She knew they would be livid because of her choice, but she just knew it was what she had to do. "We cannot split up right now, it is too dangerous. What if they attack when they have departed? There is no way we can defend ourselves against so many with only half of our numbers."

Benjamin and Tia were watching with wide eyes as Isabella started talking about strategy, presenting tons of argument as she tried to prove her point. When she had finished it was quiet for a moment before there was some rumbling on the other side of the line.

 _"Bella, it's Jasper, I am taking over for a moment. Please, I want you to know that although your point is not invalid, you should remember that you are the one who they want. They might attack to decrease out numbers, but anyone here would want to take that risk if it means that you are safely protected again. You are currently out in the open, with no one to protect you from harm. In addition to that you have no other means to come back home."_

Isabella was silent as she let Jasper's words sink in. "It's just that- I really don't want anyone to get hurt trying to protect me while I am not even there. Now I'm all worked up which means that I certainly can't magically transport back, because I have to feel kind of relaxed to do that and-"

Surprisingly it was Benjamin who interrupted. "Have you ever tried meditation?"

Shocked Isabella turned around to face the black-haired vampire. "Excuse me?"

Benjamin shifted uncomfortably. "I have no idea what your teleportation entails, but if you need to relax to do so, why don't you try meditation? It usually helps me to relax and focus on the important."

There was some cursing on the other side of the line as Isabella continued to stare at the man.

 _"Why have we not thought of that? Damn it, we are a group of vampires who have lived for centuries, but no one ever thought of that?"_

"Calm down, Jazz," Isabella said absentmindedly. She looked Benjamin into the eye. "Do you think you could teach me?"

He shrugged. "It is worth a try."

-oOo-

Not long after Isabella ended the phone call, promising Jasper she would call back within 24 hours to make further arrangements, Amun flew into the room.

"What is this?" he asked, his voice loud, conveying his anger. When he spotted Isabella in the corner he ran over, planning to shove her against the wall, but he was stopped by Benjamin.

"She is under the protection of the Volturi," he stated gravely. Isabella swore Amun became even paler at those words and he reluctantly backed away.

"Who are you?" he demanded, looking at her. "Are you a spy?"

Isabella took on a straight posture, not at all intimidated by the vampire's behaviour. "My name is Isabella Marie Volturi. I am considered the Princess of the vampire society and I am most certainly not a spy; I ended up here by mere coincidence. We are not after Benjamin's gift, nor do we want to split up your coven. I simply needed a phone and a roof above my head at the moment."

"Isabella needs my help to go back," Benjamin explained. "I will make sure she is safe and I have given Jasper Whitlock my word that I will take care of her. Also, we were just about to hear her story, so please calm down. I would like to hear this."

Reluctantly both Amun and Kebi sat down on the couches, followed by Benjamin and Tia. Lastly Isabella took place on the chair.

She took a deep breath in. "Alright, it all started when I was four years old…"

It took nearly two hours for her to explain what had brought her up to this point; her arrival at the Volturi castle, the people she had met there. The history of the ancient vampire's obsession with her and her ancestors, the war that had been arising for years, the gifts she possessed and lastly what exactly she was.

"You are _la fenice_?" Amun whispered unbelieving, his eyes wide. "Now this all makes sense."

"What do you mean, Amun?" Kebi asked curiously. The woman had kept quiet during the story, but she too had hundreds of questions flying through her head.

" _La fenice_ or the Phoenix is considered one of the most powerful creatures on earth," Amun explained, turning around to face his mate. "She is rarely spotted, only presenting herself when her presence is desperately needed. She brings harmony and connects with the true nature like no other can." He looked at Isabella. "I will do anything to help you. If this danger threatens you, it threatens us as well."

Benjamin looked at his sire in surprise. He had never seen him act in this way and especially not this willing to present his help. Amun was one to hide away and let the world continue in its own pace. If even he was willing to help there was no question that this was a serious matter.

"Thank you," Isabella told him before a she looked away in contemplation of what to do. She closed her eyes for a moment and when they opened again a worried expression crossed her face.

"The numbers have risen again," she murmured, looking down at her hands.

"I want to help and fight," Benjamin suddenly said, standing up. When Amun did not react at all to his statement he turned around only to see Amun walking up next to him.

"I will help too."

Isabella rapidly scanned their faces; a new plan was starting to form in her mind. An excited glint appeared in her eyes as the two women joined their mates.

"You are genius!" she happily exclaimed after a minute of silence. She flew forward and hugged a shocked Benjamin. "Of course! If anyone wants to help to protect the vampire world, plus their food source, from a possible demise it is the vampires themselves! Now, if I only had a way to reach out..."

Isabella took a step back and started to pace through the room.

"How exactly do your gifts work?" Benjamin slowly asked, sitting back down on the couch.

Isabella halted in her movement as she answered. "Well, to receive information I usually-"

"No, I meant the gift of teleportation," the black-haired vampire interrupted. "Do you end up in dangerous places, or do you often return to areas you know? Have you tried mastering it?"

"I have never actually landed somewhere where I did not have friends, or potential friends," Isabella answered, deep in thought. "I landed in Forks with Renée and Charlie because they were good parents, and Charlie apparently had connections with shapeshifters who help us now. I also ended up in Italy because it was where I would be best protected. I landed in Denali twice; and I made new friends both times. They are all part of the Volturi guard or 'army' now."

"If it brought you to all of those places, don't you think it can bring you to other people who can keep you safe?" Tia asked her.

A grin spread across Isabella's face. "That is a big possibility, yes."

"We can try to prove our theory later," Benjamin nodded. "But do understand that there is a big risk factor. We do not know whether or not we are right, and the situations you could end up in… I would not like to think about that."

"I understand," Isabella told them. "And I am willing to take those risks, if it means that we have more people who will fight on our side."

"Very well," Kebi said, standing up from the couch. "If you are willing to do so, we will stand behind your choice. However, I believe it could help if you first had a warm shower and a change of clothes, as well as something to eat."

"I will go into town and get some food." The words had barely left his mouth as Benjamin disappeared.

Tia smiled at Isabella. "Follow me, please."

A few hours later Benjamin led the warm and well-fed girl into another beautifully decorated room. He sat down on one of the cushions on the floor and motioned for Isabella to follow him.

"Meditation can help us to understand our own mind," Benjamin started, helping Isabella to sit in the right position before he sat back. "We can learn how to transform out mind from negative to positive, from unhappy to happy and from disturbed to peaceful."

Isabella nodded, showing she understood what he was saying.

"It has truly helped me to master my gift," Benjamin explained. "With the gift of control of the elements I constantly have to focus on what exactly I want to do. Through mediation I have come to know my own mind and it helped me to create better understanding of the working of my gift. I believe that if you are able to push the disturbing thoughts, as well as the stress, to the back of your mind and let the peace fill you, you will be able to teleport. Maybe it will even be possible for you to control it."

"That would be great," Isabella sighed.

Benjamin smiled at her. "However, you must understand that this will not be something you can master within hours, days or weeks."

"The earlier I start, the earlier I will be able to focus," Isabella said, looking him into the eye.

"Well, then let us not waste any time," Benjamin stated.

-oOo-

 _Kiev, Ukraine_

"Please let him be alright," the tiny woman muttered as she nervously paced through her hotel room. "Why can't I see him? I should be able to. What happened?"

It had been decades, no, centuries since she had last been with him. If it had not been for the goal she had set the day he was taken away from her she knew she would have gone mad long ago. Only the knowledge that he was still walking around somewhere on this planet kept her going.

She knew that she was the only reason he had been taken in the first place. It had been a small move in this master plot, but it had had great impact on her existence. There was nothing she could do but follow the orders, her instincts demanding she did anything that could increase the chances of seeing him once this all was over.

While her rational side told her that he would probably be killed when they were no longer in need of her gifts, the vampire in her did not want to give up.

She had no choice.

* * *

 _A/N: Hello! I had hoped to have this chapter finished and uploaded earlier this week, but I ended up spending too much time working on another project. Anyway, here is chapter 25! Isabella is, in fact, safe and had yet again made new friends. With a bit of luck she will learn to master her gifts as well..._

 _Reviews make me a happy person, so please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Also, if you spot any mistakes, please tell me ;) I hope to have another chapter ready for you within a week!  
\- Laura_


	26. Chapter 26 - Travelling

**Chapter 26 - Travelling**

Seven months.

That is how long it took for Isabella to finally get a grip on her gift. Every day she would spend hours practicing with Benjamin in the backyard or one of the mansion's luxurious rooms. The vampire taught her how to meditate and helped her to reach out to the gift she had possessed since her birth seventeen years ago.

It was a long and tedious learning process. There had been enough times when she had wanted to give up, but in the end she would always grit her teeth and push through. Benjamin turned out to be a very patient teacher, which Isabella did test quite a few times throughout the lessons. She now truly realised how lucky she was to have such amazing friends.

Not a day had gone by without a call from one of the kings, who would ask her to come back home. In their opinion what she was doing was too dangerous and not worth the risks it presented.

At least the three brothers had accepted that it was her choice and they did not force her into something she felt was wrong. After all, she was not the little girl who had arrived at the castle more than a decade ago.

Isabella did compromise and updated everyone on how things were faring. It was more to ease the nerves of her uncles than her own, as it honestly made her feel pressured to show results. After all, the sooner she would master her gift, the sooner she would return to the makeshift family who had been taking care of her for years.

The choice she had made had come with a huge responsibility. And maybe they were right; maybe she was not quite ready for that yet. But she did not believe it was something she could ever truly be ready for. This was one of those moments where she just had to take that step and trust that it would be alright.

It was already late in the evening when Isabella and Benjamin started with their next session. A week ago the girl had first felt the familiar feeling and it had nearly taken her over before she had lost her concentration. It was extremely frustrating and Benjamin had suggested taking some time off before trying again.

And so here she was, sitting in the empty backyard. She was wearing her most comfy clothes, which she had found helped her to get into the right state of mind. Her head was tilted slightly to the ground, her breathing even.

 _Breathe in._

 _Breathe out._

Isabella sat still for a while before she started to carefully clear her mind of all thoughts. She entered a trance and mentally reached out, searching for the familiar sense. Slowly the tingling feeling crawled up her spine. It made her want to move and shake it off, but after all the practice she'd had it was not too hard to keep still.

 _Breathe in._

 _Breathe out._

It was Benjamin's shout that shook her out of the trance after several minutes. Isabella lost her concentration at once and opened her eyes, getting ready to be angry at her mentor for distracting her. But she only caught a flash of his surprised face before the Egyptian scenery disappeared right in front of her eyes.

The world around her became a pitch black void, taking over her vision. Suddenly she felt weightless and there was nothing holding her down to the earth. The surrounding air was starting to put pressure on her body to the point where it was hard to breathe.

As sudden as it had come it went away and she dropped down to the ground out of nowhere.

"Ouch!" Isabella muttered as she hit her head against a tree. The rest of her body luckily landed in a better spot, the impact of her fall was absorbed by a patch of soft moss.

The girl looked around and quickly analysed what had happened. It was a much different experience to be awake while teleporting, and not a very pleasant one at that. Maybe it was something she could work on when she had time.

"Bella?"

Isabella turned around and searched for the one who had called her name. When she spotted the familiar faces a grin spread across her face.

"I can't believe it finally worked!" she said happily, pushing herself up from the ground.

"What worked?" Tanya asked as steadied the wobbling girl.

"My gift," Isabella explained. "I practised so much with Ben, but when I finally got it I would lose my concentration and-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down girl," Irina said with wide eyes. "Who's Ben? And what have you been up to for these past years? We haven't heard from you or the rest of our coven in quite a while. We were getting worried something had happened."

"Why don't we go inside," Tanya suggested. "We'll get you some dry clothes and you can take a shower, I'm sure you're cold. I'll run down to the store to get you something to eat."

"That's a great idea," Isabella sighed. Her clothes were soaked and the promise of food and something warm to wear sounded amazing.

Tanya smiled and led the girl towards the house. It wasn't too far away and within a minute they stepped across the threshold. The temperature inside the house was much more pleasant and Isabella let out a sigh as her muscles relaxed.

"Come upstairs with me?" Irina suggested. "I think you're about my size now, I have something you can wear."

Isabella nodded and waved Tanya goodbye before following the vampire upstairs.

"You have grown so much since last time we saw you," Irina sighed with a smile as they entered her room. "You were like, what, five years old?"

"That's right," Isabella nodded after a moment of thinking. "It has been longer than I thought. Quite a lot of things have been happening the past few years."

"I can't wait to hear about it," Irina said. "But first you can take a shower."

The blonde-haired woman disappeared into the closet, returning just a second later with a pile of clothes in her hands. "Here you go! When you're finished you can just come downstairs. We'll be waiting for you there."

Isabella accepted the clothing and turned around. She entered the bathroom and put everything down on the counter before taking of her wet clothes.

The shower was amazing and half an hour later she stepped out of the room, all cleaned up.

Now it was time to explain.

"Of course we will fight!" Irina exclaimed when Isabella had finished talking. The woman's eyes were blazing with fire. "Our relationship with the Volturi might not be the best, but we won't leave you and the rest of our coven alone. This is something which concerns us as well."

"I agree," Tanya nodded. "Give us the location and we will be on our way."

Isabella sighed in relief, sagging against the couch. This was much better than she could've ever hoped; she had thought she would have had to do much more to convince them to come and help. Willingly going into war was not a decision to be taken lightly.

"Thank you," she told the two sisters. "The others will welcome you when you arrive. If you can't find them you can call Jasper's number, I'll leave it behind for you."

"Won't you be travelling with us?" Irina asked her surprised.

The girl smiled. "No, I have another task to complete first."

-oOo-

The city was busy; Isabella could hear cars passing nearby. She stood still as she took in the dark alley she had landed in. It was late at night here and she had difficulty figuring out where she was.

Closing her eyes she took in a deep breath and concentrated. From the web of information she had gained access to she quickly received the answer.

"I've always wanted to travel here!" Isabella said happily to no one in particular as she left the alley, walking onto the busy streets of Tokyo, Japan.

It looked like she would be meeting some new people today.

Before she could even think of a way to search for vampires she was suddenly pulled off the streets. An angry sounding voice demanded something of her as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

"Excuse me?" Isabella asked, not understanding a single word being said.

Now that she had been in the dark for a minute, she could make out the figure who had so rudely taken her. It was a small man; he could not have been much taller than Isabella herself. His black hair was cropped short and his dark clothes made it that he nearly blended in with his surroundings.

"I said who are you?" the man demanded once more. "You smell like my kind, but you are not one of us. I can clearly hear your heartbeat and I know you have blood flowing through your veins. What are you doing here?"

The girl smiled. "Don't worry, dear Toshiro, I don't mean any harm. My name is Isabella and I have come to ask for help."

-o-

"What just happened?" the red-haired woman whispered, her eyes wide in shock.

Isabella turned around and took a quick look at the place she had travelled to this time. It had taken her significantly less time to focus on her gift of teleportation, but it seemed she still had to work on landing unnoticed. It was not really inconspicuous if she fell down onto a grassy field out in the open.

As she scanned her surroundings her gaze landed on the three vampires in front of her, who looked like they formed a coven.

She stepped forward and nodded in greeting. "Good afternoon, my name is Isabella Volturi. I mean no harm, but I really need your help. Please listen to my story."

The man and red-haired woman shared a look before they turned their heads towards their last member.

The smaller girl smiled. "She speaks the truth."

-o-

"I can do this," Isabella chanted, taking another step. She had been walking for a few minutes already, but she had yet to see or hear anyone. "I can do this. It is not scary at all that there are creepy animals and insects that could attack me at any moment. I'm _totally_ fine."

"Who is fine?" a heavily accented voice suddenly said.

Isabella squeaked and whirled around, only to come face to face with a tall woman.

"What are you doing in the middle of the rainforest, young one?"

The girl laid a hand over her heart, which was beating wildly, and tried to control her breathing. The woman looked at her curiously but waited patiently for her to answer.

"You scared the living daylight out of me!" Isabella said when she had calmed down. "I did not know you lived nearby, I was already starting to question the reliability of my gift."

"Would you care to explain further? I have a feeling that this is going to be interesting…"

"Isabella Volturi," the girl supplied. "And you are?"

"My name is Zafrina," the woman told her. "Why don't you come with me to my sisters? You can explain everything to all of us at once, then."

Isabella smiled. "I think that might be a good idea."

-o-

 _"Bonjour,"_ Isabella easily said, surprising the two vampires who were casually standing at the side of the street. _"Vous pouvez m'aider?"_

 _"Excusez-moi?"_ the dark-haired man said, taking in the peculiar girl in front of him.

"You're Henri, right?" Isabella asked. "And you are Yvette."

"Yes, that is us," Henri answered. "What is it you need help with? Who told you our names?"

"I have my ways," the girl smiled. "It is a rather long story, would you mind it if we moved this conversation elsewhere?"

The two vampires threw her a confused look. After a moment of silence it was Yvette who spoke up. "That is alright?"

Isabella turned around and motioned for them to follow her onto the streets. She hummed a happy tune as they moved towards a little café on the corner

"Oh, by the way," the girl said, looking back. "I'm Isabella Volturi. It's very nice to meet you."

* * *

 _A/N: Hi there! It has been... quite a while (whoops) but I finally have chapter 26 for you!_

 _The past months have been busy, with visits to Italy and Spain as well as busy days at work, and as such I did not have time to write. But I am slowly trying to work writing back into my schedule. I hope the next chapter will be ready soon!_

 _Please leave me a review to tell me what you thought of this chapter! Reviews make me very happy :)_

 _._

 _Okay, lastly here is a little "update" of where everyone is (it has been a while, after all ;))_

 _The Volturi & the wolves are somewhere in a remote spot away from human civilization (near Russia)_

 _Isabella is travelling the world to gather vampires who are willing to fight with them_

 _Renée, Charlie, Phil and Antonio have been abducted and are being held hostage at the place of the ancient vampire_

 _The Ancient Vamp & Friends are slowly moving closer to the Volturi_

 _ _\- Laura__

 **Translations:**

 **Bonjour** \- Good day

 **Vous pouvez m'aider?** \- Can you help me?

 **Excusez-moi?** \- Excuse me?


	27. Chapter 27 - Return

**Chapter 27 – Return**

A large group of people was huddled together at the edge of the clearing. Without a word they parted and let a black-haired vampire step forward to the pile of wood. The man kneeled down, holding his hands apart. A small spark ignited from his palm, and he leaned towards the chosen spot. A second later he stepped back, admiring the small fire which had started in their midst.

The vampires nearby all instinctively took a step back, while the other creatures came closer to take in the warmth. One of the young Native Americans picked up wood from the stack they had formed earlier that evening. He motioned for his pack mates to follow him and together they fed the fire until it was blazing with heat.

A few feet away Jasper exited the forest and made his way over to the group with a big bag slung over his shoulder. As he got closer he easily picked up on everyone's emotions and for once he was not overwhelmed by the sheer strength of them. Instead he was able to relish in the peaceful atmosphere, halting his movements for a moment.

The harmony everyone was living in was almost unheard of. Vampires, shapeshifters of different kinds and even hybrids from all over the world were working together as if they had always been united.

He knew that it would not be very long now before the formed bonds would be tested. Peter had been feeling on edge for a while as his gift warned him for the impending danger. A fight would be inevitable and they would soon find out if their preparations would help, or if it had all been in vain.

In the past year, while Isabella was out recruiting new people, they had most certainly not been able to sit back and relax. Until last week they had welcomed new people every single day. With the help of himself, Edward and later Maggie, they had been able to determine if the arrivals were speaking the truth and if they had good intentions.

Everyone who had been sent by Isabella was honest in their words.

It was truly marvellous how one girl had enough power to convince hundreds to help. No one understood how she had been able to achieve this, but they weren't complaining. Her actions had made it possible for their numbers to triple.

Jasper took a deep breath and walked on, easily joining the group. Murmuring his pardons he made his way to the very front. He quickly spotted the shapeshifters close to the fire and called out.

"Jacob!"

The youngest member of the pack turned around in a flash, just quick enough to catch the object Jasper had thrown at him. Confused the boy looked inside, but his face immediately lit up and he pulled out a bag of marshmallows. He glanced at the blond vampire who shrugged.

"Esme insisted."

As Jacob started to hand out the sweets, Jasper took a step back from the fire. Although the flames were only dangerous to his kind when they had been ripped apart, the heat still made him quite cautious.

It was always better to be safe than sorry.

Jasper did not pay attention to those around him as he gazed into the fire, losing himself in his thoughts. The people here did not have any worries at the moment, but he and several others were starting to get antsy. For a while now there had not been any new arrivals, nor had Isabella called to inform them how she was doing. Peter assured them time and time again that she was healthy, but even the blond vampire understood the need to hear from her personally.

They all hoped she would be returning home soon.

-oOo-

"Antonio?"

In the corner of the dark room an old man stirred from his position against the wall. He shifted restlessly and closed his eyes. His ears must be failing him, for the lovely voice he thought had pierced the silence was one he had not heard in years.

But then it sounded again. "Antonio?"

Now he looked up sharply at the whisper which had woken him from his slumber. When he spotted the one who had called for him, his eyes widened.

"Isabella? Is that really you?"

The woman stepped forward out of the shadows into the narrow ray of sunlight shining through the window. As he noticed the familiar features, all doubt about his visitor's identity disappeared.

"You've grown up so beautifully, _principessa_ ," Antonio whispered.

"I'm so sorry," Isabella choked, taking in her old friend's sunken cheeks and ill complexion. "I never thought anyone would target you, I should have made sure you were safe and-"

"Hush now," the man interrupted. He carefully stood up, using the wall as support. "I know there was nothing you could have done to prevent this. I do not blame anyone but the one who took me."

Isabella quickly moved to help him and within a few seconds she was in Antonio's warm embrace. She had to suppress a sob when she noticed his laboured breathing. It was not hard to figure out that her old friend had not been treated well in the past few years.

"I'm sorry," Isabella sighed.

"I knew there were risks when I started working for your uncles," Antonio started after a moment of silence. "I had not expected the risks to include this particular situation, but when is life ever predictable? I have always known that there was a big chance that I would die by the hands of a supernatural creature."

"This never should have happened," Isabella said, not being able to wrap her head around his words.

"Maybe not, but perhaps this was always destined to occur," Antonio told her, pulling back from the embrace. He brought his shaking hands to her cheeks and lifted her head ever so slightly until they were looking into each other's eyes. "But please know, _piccola_ , I could never regret the choice I made all those years ago."

"Why not?"

"How could I?" was his answer. "It has brought me so much joy to be a chef again, even after my official retirement. To work for you personally was an absolute pleasure. The chance that I will see my children and grandchildren grow old is very slim, but I am an old man."

Seeing Isabella was about to protest he elaborated. "It is simply the truth. I have lived a wonderful life and I have the feeling that it will not be long before I will be reunited with my lovely wife."

"Antonio, please don't say anything like that," Isabella said, closing her eyes as several tears escaped. "I'm sure we will find a way to get you out of here."

"Listen to me now," Antonio said, wiping away her tears. "I made peace with this future a long time ago. I know it is not how you would like it to end, but please accept it. Focus on the others instead. If not for you, do it for me."

Confused Isabella opened her eyes again. "What do you mean?"

"When they come for you, do not try to save me first if I am still near," he told her. "Go out in search of the rest."

"So it is true," Isabella whispered. "They took Renée, Charlie and Phil?"

Antonio nodded. "They are probably around here too, but I do believe that you did not enter this building the usual way?"

"No," Isabella sighed. "Maybe I can find a way to-"

Her musing was suddenly interrupted as they heard a door open not far away. Footsteps were quickly approaching them. Antonio's eyes widened and he looked at the girl.

"You have to get out of here," was the only thing he said, pushing Isabella to the corner of the room.

"Antonio!" Isabella hissed. "I won't be able to, not now!"

"I believe in you," Antonio stated. "Make sure that you also believe in yourself."

As if in a daze Isabella sat down on the floor, getting in her meditative trance faster than should have ever been possible. It took all she had not to react to the commotion occurring right in front of her. Just as her gift took over her body she opened her eyes once more.

The last thing she saw before disappearing into the night was a tall figure in the open door. The towering man stood behind her old friend, who was lying on the floor completely still.

-oOo-

 _Kiev, Ukraine_

She was sure she was going mad.

Alice snorted humourlessly at that thought and took another deep breath before resuming her restless pacing. If you would have asked others, they would tell you that she had always been crazy, but what she was like a few years ago was nothing compared to her current state of being. Maybe it was the ever rising tension, or the impending battle; all she knew was that her mate was close, yet still so far away. Her instincts were literally screaming at her to run outside and search for him. The only thing holding her back was the remaining part of her rational thoughts telling her that it would not help the situation at all.

She sighed and walked over to the vanity of the hotel room she had been staying for the past few months. They would not allow her to be near the preparations for the battle, so she had decided to find herself a place close-by. The choice was also a strategic one as she could quickly be present when her gift was needed.

Alice looked up into the mirror and stared at herself with dull eyes. They were no longer the golden colour they had been before. Giving in to the temptation of human blood was much easier when no one was around to judge you or hold you back.

She did not care anymore anyway.

The phone rang on the other side of the room. Alice immediately abandoned the mirror and flitted over to the bed. Within a second she had picked up her phone.

"Hello?"

 _"Manteío, it has been a while."_

Alice took a deep breath. "What can I do? What is it you need from me today?"

 _"There is nothing we need from you. Actually, I called to inform you that we no longer require your services."_

She froze. "What do you mean?"

 _"I mean exactly what I say. Since your gift is useless because of the involvement of other creatures, you are no longer needed, nor do we need the other one. Soterios is his name, I believe?"_

Her shoulders slumped as she was filled with a fearful foreboding. "Will I be able to see him again?"

 _"You do not understand, Manteío. When I meant that we have no need for either of you, I did not mean we would send you out into the world. We could not risk you going to some of your old friends to tell on us, now could we?"_

"No!" Alice screamed, as she realized what he was implying. "Please, don't, I'll do anything! Just please don't hurt him."

 _"Sadly, you are in no place to negotiate. I have made my decision and I will not change it. I will be awaiting the report of my guard. Have a nice day, Manteío."_

The call ended, but Alice did not notice it. All she could hear were the words she had just been told, echoing through her mind again and again. With just a few words all hope had been lost and it hurt more than she had ever expected it would.

However, nothing could compare to the soul crushing pain she experienced just seconds later.

Her screams could be heard throughout the entire city until they stopped as abruptly as they had started. The sirens of the fire truck followed not long after as the humans rushed to the place a hotel had stood not long ago.

By the time they arrived the entire building had gone up in flames.

-oOo-

For a split second Isabella felt a blazing heat but she was quickly yanked back. Dizzily she closed her eyes, trying to regain her balance. One by one her other senses returned and she slowly became aware of the commotion surrounding her, as well as the persistent calling of her name.

Slowly she opened her eyes and was met by a concerned golden gaze. She blinked once and took another look, not believing what she was seeing.

"Jasper?" she said tentatively.

Jasper nodded as he looked her over. "Are you alright? What happened, where did you come from?"

"I'm fine," Isabella answered distracted, looking around and trying to find a familiar landmark. "Where are we?"

"We're at the headquarters," Jasper said.

Isabella's eyes widened as realization hit her. Instead of teleporting to yet another coven or nomad, she had travelled right back to her family. Happiness started to overshadow all the confusing emotions she was experiencing, but it quickly receded as she understood what her return must mean.

"It won't be too long now," she whispered, combing a hand through her messy hair.

Jasper sighed. "We already feared so."

They stood in together in silence for a moment, not paying attention to the others who were gathering around them.

"Let's get you back to the house," Jasper suddenly said, glancing around for a moment before gathering the unsuspecting girl in his arms and running away.

Just when her mind her caught up to his actions they stopped moving. Jasper put her down, holding her arm as she swayed on her feet. When she was feeling remarkably less wobbly she looked up and saw that they were standing in front of a very familiar building.

The front door flew open and Marcus stepped outside. When he caught sight of the girl he sighed in relief and walked forward, taking her in his arms.

"You have returned at last."

Isabella smiled. "I have."

Marcus pulled back from the embrace and placed his hand on her back. "Let us go inside, your uncles and aunts have been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Isabella easily walked besides her uncle. For the first time in a while she felt truly at home; _this_ was where she belonged.

The rest of a night passed in a blur. First Isabella was welcomed back by Sulpicia, Aro, Athenodora and Caius, after which the other members of the Volturi also got their turn to talk to her. The creatures she had recruited over the year simply greeted the girl, giving her some space. All of the Cullens and Denali's were delighted to see her again as well. However, after a few questions it became apparent that Isabella was not in any condition to tell long stories right now. Rosalie took it upon herself to shoo the girl upstairs and into the sleeping quarters.

After a long, hot shower Isabella put on some pyjamas and entered her bedroom. With a yawn she slipped under the covers, murmuring a thank-you to Rosalie as the blonde tucked her in and turned off the light. She was out before the door closed.

-o-

The place Isabella found herself in seemed very familiar in a way, but she could not quite determine when she had been in this clearing before. Although she could feel the breeze blowing around her, she was not cold at all as she lay in the grass.

The sun stood high in the sky, quite the opposite from the darkness she had gone to sleep in. However, she had gotten used to time changes with all of the intercontinental teleportation and it did not faze her at all.

"You have not been teleporting, little one."

Isabella shot upright and was immediately able to spot her companion. A smile spread across her face as she realized who it was.

"Emma?"

The blonde woman smiled and walked over, offering her hand. When Isabella took it, she pulled her up onto her feet.

"It has been a while," Emma commented with a wink.

Isabella sighed and shook her head in disbelief. "So I am dreaming again?"

Emma hummed. "If that's what you want to call this, then yes."

"Are the others…" Isabella trailed off, looking at the woman expectedly.

"They are waiting for you elsewhere," Emma nodded. She turned around, motioning for Isabella to follow her. "Let me show you the way."

The two of them left the clearing and moved down the path. There was no hurry in their movements; in this place time seemed to be an irrelevant concept.

Instead of going to the little white house, which Isabella spotted quite soon, Emma went in the opposite direction, up the hill. The girl was about to question that decision when she realised that it was not important. There was also a big chance that the answer would be very cryptic. Emma seemed to be partial to mysteries.

She got her answer soon enough anyway, because they reached the top of the hill. Right in front of them stood an enormous villa. Isabella turned around, her eyes wide.

"Why on earth were Didyme and Aemilia staying in the other house when you guys have _this_?"

Emma smiled. "Our sisters have taken quite the liking to that little house. They determined that when you would first visit us, you would feel more at ease there. Now that you have already met us, you won't be overwhelmed by the things we show you."

"Awesome," Isabella whispered before they continued on their journey.

She had not even set her first step on the path to the house when the front door opened, revealing a very excited Didyme.

"Bella!" she shouted happily. The brunette ran down the path and hugged the girl close. After embracing her she held Isabella at an arm's length, taking in the changes she had gone through in the past few years.

"Hi Didyme," she greeted back shyly.

"Please come in, _tesoro_ ," Didyme said with a wide grin. "We have missed you! Aemilia is waiting for you in the living room."

Isabella nodded and moved to go inside when Emma's voice halted her.

"Bella," the blonde woman called out.

The girl turned around, surprised. To be honest, after she had disappeared without a goodbye last time, Isabella had expected Emma to leave in the same manner.

"Please remember that we are there for you," Emma told her. "Don't be scared of what will come. Face the conflict head on, but don't lose rational thought."

With that last advice Emma disappeared into thin air, leaving a very confused Isabella behind with her other sisters.

"Inside we go," Didyme said, motioning for Isabella to go first.

Isabella shook out of her stupor and entered the house. Doubting she stood in the hallway, not having any idea which direction she should go. Suddenly she heard a loud clang in a room on her right and she made her way there, a small grin spreading across her face. When she opened the door she stood still for a moment before bursting out in laughter.

Right in front of the window Aemilia was lying on the ground in the middle of a pile of books. The ladder in front of the bookcase seemed to be the catalyst of the situation the redhead had found herself in.

"Don't stand there laughing," Aemilia protested, hanging her head back. "Come and help me up."

Didyme appeared behind Isabella and groaned. "I said I would help you with that later! Now see what a mess you made."

Isabella smiled at Didyme's admonishing as she walked over and offered her sister a hand.

"Thanks," Aemilia said when she was on her feet again.

"No problem," Isabella chuckled.

"Well, you can clean that up later," Didyme said, waving her hand at the books scattered on the ground. "We sadly don't have all the time in the world, so let's sit down and talk. That's what Bella came to do, after all."

"Did I?" Isabella muttered questioningly as she sat down on one of the sofas.

"Of course," Aemilia said. "Otherwise you would not have come here. Now, we have been keeping ourselves updated with the latest developments..."

"…and we think it is time for you to acknowledge who you are," Didyme added.

"What do you mean?" Isabella asked confused.

Both sisters seated themselves on the sofa opposite of her. Sensing a long explanation Isabella sat back, making herself comfortable.

Didyme was the one who started. "You have made great process in the past few years, working on your gifts. Teleportation is something we all, well except for Emma, were never really able to manage. I think is amazing how you found ways to use your heightened instincts and connection to your sixth sense in battle."

"The heightened speed and strength can also come in quite handy," Aemilia nodded.

"Now the last thing you have to do is to embrace the fact that we _are_ the _fenice_ ," Didyme said.

It was quiet for a moment.

Isabella frowned. "How is 'embracing what I am' going to help me perform in battle? To be honest, that does not sound helpful at all."

Aemilia and Didyme shared a look.

"It is not what _you_ are that you have to embrace," Didyme said slowly, trying to convey her point. "It is what _we_ are, collectively."

"Although time works differently in this place, all of us combined have lived for millennia," Aemilia explained. "And we have gathered a lot of wisdom in those years."

"You don't only carry the soul that is your own," Didyme added. "You carry _ours_ as well."

Isabella's eyes widened at that revelation. "How is that even possible?"

"Although we are not completely sure, we have our theories," Didyme said.

"What Didy is trying to say," Aemilia interrupted, getting impatient with her sister. "Is that because our bodies were returned to the ashes from which the other rose, our souls never disconnected from the material world."

Didyme took over her explanation as she saw the growing confusion on Isabella's face. "Normally when a creature dies, their body is cremated or buried and that is it. There is no further life which follows after their death. Their souls will stay put until they are taken by the wind, to whatever higher power exists. _We_ will never know those specifics."

"So because we were all born from the same material, our souls just stay together?" Isabella said slowly, trying to order and understand all the new information she had been given.

"Our souls are eternally bound to yours, yes," Aemilia said before she frowned and muttered, "It really sounds creepy when you put it like that."

Isabella thought for a moment before realization hit her. "Is that also the reason Marcus has not gone mad like the others who have lost a mate?"

The question clearly took the others of guard. Didyme took a deep breath, trying to repress the emotions that surged forward. Seeing that her sister had difficulty replying, Aemilia smiled sadly before nodding. "Yes. Didyme's soul did not leave the earth; it just hid away behind yours. Her connection to Marcus is simply blocked, not broken."

"Does the bonding of our souls have an impact on me?" Isabella asked.

Didyme, who had regained composure, answered her. "The bond is unbreakable and nothing can separate us from you. Normally our souls and minds all function separately. Sometimes we are able to catch certain events through the connection, but we are not in direct contact with you or the world around you."

"However, if you will focus on us, you will be able to temporarily change that," Aemilia said.

Isabella glanced at the red-haired woman. "What exactly does that mean?"

"If you consciously search for the souls which are connected to yours, you will be able to pull them forward," Aemilia explained. "That action will drag us into your world and our souls will be partially merged together for some time."

"Think about it," Didyme said. "It won't only be your gifts and strengths out there, but ours as well."

Isabella stared at her sisters.

"And you're telling me this _now_?" she asked incredulously. "Battle can break out any moment and _now_ you're revealing something incredibly useful which I won't be able to practice?"

"Well, about that," Aemilia tentatively started. "There _are_ some complications with this method."

Isabella's shoulders slumped forward as she groaned. "You are not even sure if it will work?"

Didyme shook her head. "No, that's not our concern. Alice Cullen is not the only one who can see the future, you know."

"We know for certain this all will work," Aemilia said. "But we don't know for sure what effect it will have on your body, since there are hundreds of choices that affect that future. It makes the end result completely unpredictable."

"Since your body and mind are not as strong and indestructible as a vampire's, the chance that you will be severely hurt is present," Didyme told her. "We did not want to risk you practicing this particular ability, as it could have prevented you from participating in the battle."

"You have a choice to make," Aemilia said. "You are not obligated to bring us into the world. Maybe you will be able to win the battle without the gift we have been given."

"We don't want to see you hurt," Didyme explained, a tortured look in her eyes. "But you have to know that there are options. You are capable of making your own decisions and it would not have been fair of us to keep this from you."

Isabella sucked in a deep breath. In the back of her mind she could feel her consciousness tugging at her, trying to get her to wake up. She ignored it as good as she could, but it quickly was too impossible evade.

"I don't know what to do," Isabella whispered, shaking her head to get rid of the irritating feeling.

"Whatever may happen, know that we love you," Didyme said, getting up to kiss the younger woman's cheek. "We will meet again soon."

Isabella did not have any time to respond as she closed her eyes and was violently dragged back into consciousness.

-o-

Her eyes snapped open and she shot upright. Immediately she spotted Sulpicia's blank expression.

"It's time."

* * *

 _A/N: I'm finally back with another chapter for you! This one is quite a bit longer than the past few. I had some difficulty to determine what exactly this chapter should contain to keep the story moving, but I succeeded (I hope so, at least) It also somehow ended up being quite a bit darker than I had anticipated, haha. If anything was unclear, please send me a message/leave a review so I can clear up any confusion with explanations or additions to this chapter._

 _Next time the battle will start! This story is starting to slowly come to an end :)_

 _Thank you for the lovely reviews, they make me very happy. Please leave another to let me know what you think of this chapter!_

 _\- Laura_

Translations:

 **principessa -** princess

 **tesoro -** darling

 **Manteío** \- Oracle


	28. Chapter 28 - Battle (part 1)

_Her eyes snapped open and she shot upright. Immediately she spotted Sulpicia's blank expression._

 _"It's time."_

 **Chapter 28 – Battle (part 1)**

Isabella had expected to feel nervous or scared when the battle arrived. However, right now all she felt was an eerie sense of calm. It did not change when she put on the sturdy sports clothes, nor when she strapped a long knife to her leg and followed her aunt outside. Everyone was already gathered in front of the house and they were speaking amongst each other in hushed voices. Isabella met Jasper's concerned eyes with a steady gaze and gave him a reassuring nod.

Jasper's stance transformed to one of a true leader when he stepped forward to face the crowd. As he started speaking silence fell at once.

"We are gathered here today because we have received message of the arrival of our enemies. The time we have worked towards has come and we will do everything in our power to protect our own."

A sound of agreement rose from the crowd.

Jasper continued. "Whatever you do today, our number one task is to make sure Isabella will not fall into the hands of the enemy. If she is taken, all is lost. We won't be able to fight a battle against the power of one of ours."

He gave out some last instructions, while Marcus led Isabella to a group of the highest ranking Volturi guards. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him once more before the guards shifted to surround her. Not much later the enormous group, consisting of hybrids and vampires joined the formation. Lastly the shape-shifters, who had decided to face the enemy in their animal forms, concluded their army.

The group moved as one; step by step they made their way through the dense forest towards the open field. They would have the advantage of having the coverage of the trees. Every single person knew the forest as well as the chosen battlefield like the back of their hand. However, they did not know for certain what numbers the enemy would bring, nor did they know what kind of creatures would be participating. They had considered that in their training and they were as prepared as they could ever be.

Everyone was ready for the war to start.

Isabella was still feeling very calm, although she could feel her heartrate rising steadily as they approached the field. The wall of backs in front of her blocked her view, but through the cracks of the moving bodies she soon spotted the opposing army. They were with less than they were, but Isabella expected that it was only a small part of the actual group. It would not surprise her if they would soon be joined by more.

As they walked closer Isabella managed to look through the mass of bodies in front of her. She abruptly came to a stop, her heart skipping a beat. With a bit of guidance from Felix she started to walk on methodically, but her mind was elsewhere. Several hundred feet in front of them stood three people, who were undoubtedly human. They were kept upright forcefully by two vampires each and looked as if they could pass out any moment.

"Charlie?" Isabella choked out with wide eyes. The supernatural creatures surrounding her bristled at her revelation. The wolves growled softly as they too recognized not only Charlie, but Renée and Phil as well.

Everyone came to a halt as a tall, blonde woman stepped forward.

"Give us the girl!" she called, raising her voice for effect only. "Give us the girl and we'll let you go away without any problems. Bring her here and we will give you these three humans."

Isabella tensed and moved forward, wanting to speak to this woman personally. She had barely placed one step when someone grabbed her arm to keep her in place. Confused she looked up, only to gaze into Demetri's concerned eyes. Suddenly Isabella understood why she had been placed near the back of the formation. Not only was it to protect her from any outside attacks for as long as possible; this way she was not able to move away to intervene without the others letting her.

Isabella relaxed her stance, but inside her mind was reeling. Even though she did not want to admit it, she knew that if she had not been held back, she would have tried to save Charlie, Renée and Phil on her own. Preferably by offering herself up and sparing everyone else.

She would have taken the bait they were given.

Never had she been so grateful for her friends. Instead of acting on her instincts, she let the kings and Jasper lead. As representation of their army Aro denied the offer and requested for their true leader to step forward. The woman did not seem fazed at all and stepped back, motioning to the vampires guarding the humans to follow. Isabella made a strangled sound when Charlie groaned out in pain as his body was thrown on the ground.

Off in the distance a new group started to emerge, easily four times the size of the original formation. The noises which some of the unknown creatures made chilled Isabella down to her bones. She started bouncing up and down as she could feel the heavy unease approaching. The ones the ancient vampire had managed to gather were not those of light magic.

In a swift move the guards stepped closer to her, completely blocking her view. She would have to rely on her other senses to understand what was happening from now on.

Looking up at the sky, she could see dark clouds slowly covering the sky. Far off rumbling thunder sounded and drizzling rain fell from the skies. It did not feel or look natural at all and she could not help but wonder how powerful those creatures are.

The Volturi all sighed collectively when the enemy came to a halt. They held their breath and did not dare to move, waiting for what would come next.

"I will ask you just once more: hand over the girl and you will all be free," a deep voice sounded.

Even though Isabella had no visual representation to connect to the voice, she knew this was the one they had been waiting for. It was as though she recognized him, despite having never met. She wiped some of her wet hair out of her face and waited for what would happen next.

Aro stepped forward.

"She is not going anywhere," he calmly stated.

"So be it."

Those words set everything in motion.

Isabella watched as the enemy charged forward. There was absolutely no hesitation in their movements. The Volturi crouched down and braced for the impact, the wolves growling loudly. In the middle of it all Isabella sat, kneeling. She touched the soggy ground with one hand, her head up. Every single step was followed by her eyes.

Lightning struck as the first soldiers clashed. Screams of pain and agitation cut to Isabella's core, but she did not lose her concentration.

The war had started.

Isabella moved with the group of guards which surrounded her. She was overly aware of everything which happened. They shifted again as groups of vampires and werewolves charged at them. Their movements were precise and planned, but so were the Volturi's. The outer ring of guards each took on several creatures.

Isabella watched as Demetri broke off from the group. He was fighting vehemently against a duo of vampires. From that moment on the circle of guards which surrounded her thinned out quickly. While the first assailants were swiftly killed, the new ones were exceptionally more experienced. Although she had known beforehand, she could now clearly see that they were heavily outnumbered. It would not be too long before she too would have to join the fight.

Only Felix was left now, fending off anyone charging at the two of them. His attention was pulled to one side when they were attacked again.

There was no time to prepare as another vampire threw himself at them. Without even a second thought Isabella grabbed him by his arm and threw him over her shoulder. Using all her strength she locked him in a tight grip and frantically looked around for help.

She could not kill.

Within the blink of an eye the vampire's head was severed off his shoulders. Isabella did not have time to thank Demetri as she was charged at again. This time it was a werewolf, its eyes bright purple and smelling repulsive. Its appearance distracted her long enough for it to get a swipe in. Her eyes widened as she felt a burning pain in her arm. Quickly she composed herself with newfound determination. She put her feet steady on the ground.

The creature took another swipe at her, but this time she was prepared. She ducked and used the movement to pull her blade out of her boot. She came back up and had just enough time to slice deep into the wolf's abdomen.

She could maybe not kill, but she could injure.

Isabella knew the wound would heal soon. It would however paralyse the creature for several minutes. Before she could look around and search for someone to finish the job, she was attacked by two others. Her heart raced as she let go of the knife to be able to elbow the first vampire in his face. She turned away just in time as the second one made a grab for her neck. With unnatural speed she jumped up and onto his back. With one swift movement she removed his arms, repressing the nausea at his screams.

Suddenly she was pulled back violently. Strong hands held her down, closing around her throat. Isabella gasped for breath, grasping at the hands, but to no avail. Her heart starting racing even faster; the panic started to truly settle in now.

She knew they had gotten the order not to kill her, but it would be even worse if they managed to take her alive. Isabella frantically looked around as black spots started appearing in her vision. This was not going to end well.

A fierce roar broke through her panicked haze and at once the hands disappeared. Isabella shot up immediately, gasping for air. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene. All creatures within a 300 feet distance lay on the ground, cowering in absolute fear. In the middle of it all stood Jasper.

He looked positively feral as he raced over to Isabella. With one twist of his hands he decapitated the vampire who had been choking her. Jasper span around and checked her over. Slowly his power over the other creatures started to diminish. They groaned and growled before sluggishly crawling back up.

"I'm fine, Jasper," Isabella reassured quickly. She noticed the creatures were rapidly recovering from his outburst.

Jasper nodded once in acceptance before sharply turning around. The werewolf who had tried to attack him from the back was killed without much effort. Jasper looked back at Isabella once more and a silent agreement seemed to be formed. The next attacks they took on together.

Isabella tuned into her natural intuition and used the weak spots of the enemy to her advantage. She grabbed the next vampire, tearing off its arms before throwing the body towards Jasper for him to kill.

The next werewolf was punched in its guts. It roared in pain and threw its body up, swiping at Isabella with its claws. She ducked down and turned away, using the momentum to kick the creature away. With her instincts so in tune she managed to dodge every single move it threw at her until Jasper tore into its neck. Never had she felt so powerful. No longer did she feel the pain from her injuries, the adrenaline in her blood kept her going.

She and Jasper became one fluent team, watching each other's backs. The pile of bodies steadily grew, but the attacks were never ending. If anything, they became harder to ward off. It became nearly impossible for them to keep up, but they had no choice but to keep on moving.

Isabella rolled to the ground as she had to elude yet another attack. Using all her speed to stand back up, she struck the assailant with her fists. She grabbed its arm and sliced her nails into the stone-cold flesh, severing the limb from the body. Vampire's venom was dripping down her entire body now, but it no longer bothered her.

She pushed the screaming vampire into Jasper's direction but noticed her was gone. Her eyes rapidly scanned the field, only to find her was struggling to keep up with his opponent. She did not even think as she sped towards him.

"Jasper!" Isabella shouted desperately. All she could focus on was the pair of teeth nearing his neck. Before she could reach him, she was abruptly tackled to the ground. She kneed the creature in its stomach, but it did not budge. Instead it was able to grab her wrists in an iron grip, effectively blocking them from moving. Isabella kicked around with all her might as she tried to find a weak spot on her opponent's body. It was all to no avail.

A grin spread across the creature's malformed face as he lodged his elbow in her throat.

"There is no use in fighting, _girl_ ," he growled lowly.

Isabella had to gasp for breath once more. Rain poured down onto her as she waited for what would come next. Seconds, maybe minutes, went by but there was no one coming to her rescue this time. She focused on the cries and howls around her as she closed her eyes, unable to see because of the lack of oxygen.

Suddenly she fell, her eyes snapping open at once.

"Well, well, well," a deep voice said. "What have we got here?"

* * *

 _A/N: Hello, I'm back with another chapter for you today! It has been a while, sadly I have had to focus on work and studying the past 2 months, but I finally found time to write again. This is the first ever battle I have written and it took me quite a while before I was at least slightly pleased with the outcome. If anyone has any advice on how I can improve my battle-writing skills, they're very welcome :)_

 _Thank you very much to the new followers and also for all the lovely reviews! Please leave another one to let me know what you think of this chapter._ _I have some extra free time thanks to the Christmas break and plan to spend a lot of it writing, so_ _I'll hopefully be back with part 2 soon!_

 _\- Laura_


	29. Chapter 29 - Battle (part 2)

_Suddenly she fell, her eyes snapping open at once._

 _"Well, well, well," a deep voice said. "What have we got here?"_

* * *

 **Chapter 29 – Battle (part 2)**

In a flash Isabella stood upright. Her arms shot up to her throat as she could finally breathe again. With shock she realized she had managed to teleport in the middle of the battle.

"Are you not going to talk to me, _girl_?"

Carefully she turned around and took in the vampire who was standing a few feet away. The clothes he was wearing were immaculate, even though the fight had been going on for quite a while now. When her eyes finally met his she nearly stepped back in surprise. Instead of the glowing crimson colour she had expected, he had a pair of nearly matte red eyes.

It was one of the characteristics which divided the ancients from the young amongst the supernatural.

"Who are you?" she asked him.

"You know who I am," the man said with a sinister smile. "They call me Diomedes."

"What is it you want?" Isabella continued as he came closer. She was trying to think of ways to keep him occupied as she figured out how to escape this situation. Teleporting did not work when she tried to do so again, but there must be another way.

Diomedes watched her curiously, his head tilted sideways. "I would have expected you to know that by now. You are not _stupid_ , and neither am I. I believe both of us know exactly what I want."

Avoiding having to answer his question, Isabella looked around. She immediately noticed they were in the middle of the battlefield. Close by creatures were fighting to death, but the sounds they made seemed to be muted. Her eye caught on a peculiar light and she stepped closer. Suddenly she found that it was not only in that spot; the light she saw was part of a shimmering light-blue dome which surrounded them completely.

"Ah, yes," he said, watching as she explored the nearly invisible wall. "One of my better works. Thanks to this, everyone can still see us. However, when they try to come closer the energy field confuses them, and they will walk away. No one will be able to leave it either, unless I permit them. It is one of my many gifts."

"If you are already able to create this, why do you start a war trying to obtain the power I possess?" Isabella asked him.

"Such a curious, little creature," Diomedes mused. "Such a pity it won't last long. I'll break you, just like I did with your predecessors. Did you know that they went mental, after a few days in my hands? It was almost humorous to watch."

A cold feeling welled up inside of Isabella as he laughed loudly.

"You ask why I want your power?" he continued. "I simply believe it is a pity that _la fenice,_ the phoenix, does not use it at its full potential. The power you keep crammed up in that body of yours alone, would be enough to take over the world. If it is combined with the gifts I have already gathered, I will become _invincible_."

Isabella watched in horror as his face lit up. The power-hungry gaze with which he watched her, and the way he talked about her as if she was a piece of meat, chilled her down to her bones. In his eyes all she could see was delusion, nowhere could she find a single shred of anything representing compassion or humanity.

He was insane.

Suddenly she heard her name being called. Isabella sharply turned around and saw Jasper speedily approaching the energy field. She wanted to shout at him not to try and reach her, but the words got stuck in her throat. With a sense of dread, she watched him come closer, wishing with all her heart that the barrier would be gone.

As soon as the thought entered her mind, the dome disappeared, and Jasper jumped between her and Diomedes. Stunned Isabella stood in place but quickly shook it off. She could think about that incident later.

"How did you do that?" Diomedes demanded, not paying any attention to the blond vampire.

The rising fury in his voice was evident and it made Isabella nervous. She had no idea what exactly he was capable off, but she did not want to find out any more than she needed to. Her main concern right now was the fact that creatures were still dying out on the field and she was standing in front of the man who had caused it all.

Jasper growled lowly as Diomedes moved forward.

"So, you have acquired a _pet_ , now have you?" he suddenly asked as his anger promptly disappeared.

Isabella balled her fists, her nails pushing down into the palms of her hands. His words struck a chord deep down and it was all she could do to stay calm.

"You and I are not as different as you think," Diomedes continued. "We both have complete power and control over our _minions_ , for example."

Isabella took in a sharp breath and pushed Jasper aside, stepping in front of him.

"I am not like you," she growled, breathing loudly. "We are _nothing_ alike."

Jasper made to step up next to her, but she gave him a sharp look and he ceased his movements.

"Bella," he said surprised. "Your eyes!"

She did not have any time to contemplate his statement as her attention was pulled back to Diomedes.

The ancient vampire had called out towards the battle field and within seconds three vampires stood behind him. Each was holding a human, which they let fall to the ground without any care.

Isabella swore her heart stopped beating for a moment as she recognized Charlie, Renée and Phil.

"It is such a pity that the other one - Antonio, isn't it? – left us all before this fight could even start," Diomedes mused, watching Isabella's expression closely. "He was such an _interesting_ man."

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Isabella tried not to let his words get to her. She knew, or had at least guessed, about Antonio's death when she had gotten a last glimpse of him before she left– was it yesterday? Instead of reacting to his statement she focussed on the fact that her three other human friends were still in Diomedes's grasp. There had to be something she could do to save them. However, she knew it was extremely important that she kept thinking rationally. Any impulsive move could influence the outcome of the war.

"Humans are very fragile beings," Diomedes continued as he looked back at the three. "And still they managed to conquer a place in your little heart. Isn't it sweet? Nevertheless, I am the one with power here, and it takes just one snap of my fingers for their lives to be over."

Isabella felt her anger rising at his declaration. "Don't you dare-"

"Don't I dare do what, _Isabella_?" he asked sweetly. "Because I quite enjoy the drama, I will give you the chance to prevent that from happening. All you have to do is hand yourself over. Or, alternatively, you can try to fight me as you fight for their lives. It is all your choice."

Jasper growled a warning as Isabella's eyes flickered to the humans and back to the tall man in front of her. Her mind was reeling with thoughts, but she knew she would have to decide quickly.

She took a deep breath before looking up. "If those are the only options you present me, I choose to fight you."

"All right," Diomedes nodded, his expression filling with malice. "One on one combat, without any help from others."

"Deal," Isabella whispered with newfound determination. Deep down she hoped she had made the right decision, but there was no way to know for sure. She had to go through now.

A dome of energy once again surrounded them. Unlike last time, Jasper could not enter it. He was shouting at Isabella, but she could not focus enough on his words to hear what exactly he was saying. Soon he was distracted as another vampire charged at him and Isabella turned towards Diomedes.

"Don't be mistaken," he said, tilting his head. "I won't hold back. You'll make it out alive, just with less of a temper and less freedom."

Isabella knew she was at a disadvantage with her young age. She had marginally less experience with battles than Diomedes had, but that did not mean she was going to give up.

"Give me all you've got," Isabella answered, her head held high.

Diomedes started to circle around, forcing her to start moving too. Her eyes scanned his tensed body as she searched for any weaknesses.

The ancient vampire was the first to strike. With one swift movement he aimed for her head. He missed by less than half an inch as Isabella duck down just in time. He recovered quickly and fended off her punches which she fired in a rapid speed. When she took another step forward she was stopped by a ring of fire which appeared out of nowhere. Determined not to let it faze her she waited for the blazing heat to diminish slightly before jumping high and over the fire wall.

Diomedes had clearly not expected it as she was able to grab his arm. However, before she even got the chance to sever the limb he had already switched to defence. Isabella flashed to the side but was still tackled to the ground. Together they wrestled for the upper hand in the fight, rolling through the mud. Isabella groaned as her wrists were once more locked in an iron grip. Instead of repeating the movements she had used earlier today, she waited for him to relax his grasp slightly. When he did so, she had enough room to slip away, though she had to use all her force.

She had not moved quick enough to prevent any injuries. With a grunt she held her arm as she stood several feet away from Diomedes. He jumped up and grinned at the injury before sprinting towards her.

Isabella could feel the bones in her arm mending faster than ever before. Instead of choosing to defend, she met Diomedes head on. He used the speed he had acquired with old age to move sideways in the last second, which threw her off hook. She was back on the ground, this time all her limbs were locked tightly in his grip.

"Fighting is not so much fun now, is it?" Diomedes whispered lowly as his hands tightened around her upper arms. He was slowly crushing her bones and she bit on her tongue as she tried to prevent herself from screaming in pain. The dome of energy disappeared, but Diomedes kept in place.

"You will go to sleep for just a moment," he continued. "And when you wake up our fun can begin. Unless you decide to give me your gift right now?"

Isabella began to shake her head but was quickly shushed by the ancient vampire.

"It will spare you a lot of pain," Diomedes said. "And maybe I will reconsider the destiny of your dear human friends."

"No," Isabella gritted out between her clenched teeth. Sweat dripped down her forehead and she was feeling marginally warmer with the second.

"Alright, whatever you want," Diomedes spoke. "I just have one last question for you. Why is it your eyes change colour?"

He got no answer as Isabella was no longer paying attention to the ancient vampire. All she could focus on was the burning warmth within the pit of her stomach which kept growing. It felt familiar and, for some reason, brought her back to the time she spent with her sisters.

The warmth also brought another idea to the forefront of her mind. The night before, in her dream, her sisters had given her a piece of advice. Although she had labelled their suggestion as utterly ridiculous, she understood why they had told her about it.

She was desperate for any way out of this situation.

Determined Isabella closed her eyes and entered a meditative mindset as well as she could, considering the position she was in. All her thoughts were fixated inwards and slowly but surely the heat started to grow. The familiar string of warmth wove throughout her body until she reached out to it and pulled it forward.

Several things happened at once.

First, Diomedes howled in pain as he was forced to release Isabella from his grip.

Secondly, Marcus's head snapped towards the duo in the middle of the battle field, the feral look on his face scaring even his brothers away.

Last of all, a sudden storm arose in their midst.

It was as if mother nature was waking up to fight with them. The artificial rain disappeared, though dark clouds still covered the sky. The wind started blowing harder and harder until no other sounds were audible through the hurricane which was quickly forming.

Isabella stood up from her spot on the ground. She turned around in circles, wondering about this strange occurrence until gradually all conscious thought left her. No longer was she in control over her own body. It was as if she was merging with her inner instincts, the most primal part of her being.

She closed her eyes and gave in completely.

The wind soon gathered around her, forming a protective barrier against any eyes. Everyone ceased their movements as soon as they noticed the phenomenon. They stared as if entranced, unable to look away.

Although it had reached for the sky moments before, the storm started to descend towards the ground. Smoke drifted up towards the clouds, but the ever-blowing wind kept anyone from seeing what was going on.

Suddenly an enormous bright light shone through the storm. All creatures screamed and shouted as it pained their eyes, their hands shooting up in front of their faces to protect themselves.

As quick as it had come the storm lay down again. The light, on the contrary, did not disappear. Instead the painfully bright rays calmed down to a glow. It did not lose its power for even a second.

When the storm calmed completely, the clearing bathed in utter silence. Everyone held their breath, not daring to move.

Slowly, from within the light, a figure rose to her knees. The movements started out hesitant, but soon became more pronounced. Her silhouette was illuminated, but it was difficult to make out any details.

That was until she stood up.

The crowd gasped as one as a pair of feathered wings unfurled from her back. They fluttered slightly before coming to a rest at her sides. Their colour was a mixture of bright orange and red, creating an artistic fire.

The girl snapped her head up and scanned the battle field. Creatures cowered in fear as the fiery orange eyes passed them until they landed on a man not far from where she had risen.

"Diomedes," she spoke. Her voice, though she had only one, seemed to echo as if more were speaking. "Get up."

The ancient vampire did as he was told, but he did not display any fear or respect. Instead of cowering away or submitting like the others, he stood his ground and looked her right in the eye.

"You have been hurting creatures of all kinds for too long now," she said gravely. "Never will you be able to repay for the pain you have caused others. The only thing we can do now, is make sure you will never torment anyone else."

Diomedes grinned, his gaze malicious as he gestured around at the battle field. "Don't you see? Lives must be lost to achieve the greater good. It is a natural selection, a battle in which the weak don't survive."

"You are not a god," she answered him, taking a step forward. "Do not act like you have the right to choose who gets to live and who must die."

"Don't you do the exact same?" Diomedes asked with a laugh. "That seems slightly hypocritical, doesn't it?"

"Have you not noticed?" she asked as she came closer once again. "Have you not noticed how the rain stopped and the wind came in as they protected me from the eyes of others? Have you not noticed how the light transformed me? It is not _me_ who is in charge. Nature herself finally decided it was enough."

Diomedes's expression did not change. Instead madness filled his eyes as he took in the power she emanated with every word.

"Give me all you have got, _bird_."

She simply turned around.

"Marcus," she spoke up, her voice gentle. "Didyme misses you."

Marcus immediately fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.

"Stand up," she ordered, watching him closely. When he met her eyes, she smiled softly. "Finish the job when I ask you to, will you?"

"Anything," Marcus promised her with all his heart.

She turned back towards Diomedes who crouched down. Her wings fluttered once before she nodded and gazed into Diomedes's mad gaze.

"Let us fight."

This time she attacked, not giving Diomedes a chance to plan his first move. The fire wall he put up around himself was not a problem for her. Instead she walked through without a problem and brought him down.

The ancient vampire was not one to give up. He jumped up fought back without mercy and called out to his army for help. However, no one was able escape the grasp of _her_ words. They were glued to their places in the field and could do nothing but watch. When Diomedes noticed he could no longer exercise power over the creatures his anger increased, and he furiously swiped at his opponent.

Blood streamed out of her arms as his claws left deep gashes, but it did not deter her. Her eyes shone brighter as she dodged his next attack. This time she was able to grab his arm and with one jerk it came apart from his body. The other arm soon followed until Diomedes had only his legs left to defend himself.

Within just seconds she was able to hold him to the ground.

"Marcus," she shouted.

The king ran over to her side and grabbed Diomedes's head with two hands. At _her_ reassuring nod he decapitated the ancient vampire in one swift move.

She slowly stood up from her position on the ground and looked around as the clearing was once more filled with silence. She took in a deep breath and her wings swished through the air as she slowly levitated from the ground. All heads moved to follow her as she rose up towards the dark sky.

"I will give you all a choice today," she said, her voice reverberating across the clearing. "You can either decide to leave in peace, or you can fight me. You have just witnessed what happens when you challenge Nature, and I expect you to make an informed decision. The choice you make will not only determine if you leave, it also determines the course of your life. The choice is yours."

For several minutes, no one dared to move in the slightest. After a while one vampire stood up, his head bowed. He took some careful steps until he noticed he would not be attacked and he sped up. Others hesitantly got up as well, joining together in a group as they made their way to the edge of the clearing.

Not a single person challenged her to a duel.

She watched on from the sky, her bright coloured wings continuously moving. With the way the light illuminated her figure one could have mistaken her for an angel.

When the last members of the enemy clan had left she carefully descended to the ground. Her wings folded in on themselves, retreating behind her back. The bright light in her fiery eyes died down until they returned to the deep brown colour they were before. They immediately searched for Marcus, who had been standing nearby just seconds earlier, but the Volturi king was nowhere to be found.

At last, the dark clouds disappeared as the skies opened again. Isabella swayed slightly and when the first rays of sunlight hit her skin she collapsed onto the grass, her chest heaving.

"Bella!" Jasper shouted as he flashed over to her. Kneeling at her side, he scanned her entire body, searching for any injuries.

Everyone gathered around them, trying to figure out what was wrong, but they took a step back when Jasper threw them a warning look. The crowd parted as the two Volturi kings and Carlisle made their way over to the girl on the ground.

Isabella blinked a few times as she slowly opened her eyes. She watched in wonder as a few rays of sunlight hit her face. Her mind felt hazy and it took a while before it got through to her that she was being talked to. Her murky brain was not helped by the fact that it felt as if something was weighing down on her chest. Breathing was not as simple of a task as it used to be.

Carefully she turned her head sideways until it was stopped by a cold hand. Isabella looked up and was met with a pair of worried black eyes. Her heart beat slowed down as she was finally able to decipher what they were telling her.

"Bella, can you hear me?" Jasper asked her persistently. "Please talk to me."

"Jasper," Carlisle said from her other side. Isabella moved until her head lay back on the ground and she could see the doctor as well. "Her organs are failing."

Jasper growled lowly. "How is that even possible? She has always been able to mend and heal herself."

Carlisle hesitated for a moment before he spoke up. "I honestly have no idea. What I do know is that her body was not able to keep up with her recent transformation. It all happened very quickly, and her organs could not take it."

"There must be something we can do, she must-"

" _Jasper_ ," Carlisle interrupted, this time more insistent. "She is dying."

Silence fell over the crowd as they took in the gravity of the situation.

Isabella struggled to keep up with all they were saying. Her head felt even heavier than it did before and focussing on one single thing was not a possibility anymore. An itch rose in her chest, which soon expanded to a full-blown cough. Carlisle helped her to roll onto her side, where she lay until she was finally able to stop. She noticed cold hands were softly stroking her back and relaxed into their touch.

"Carlisle, what can we do?" Aro asked as he looked at the exhausted face of his niece.

"Medically seen, I cannot do a single thing," Carlisle started, his voice sad. "Her organs are shutting down completely."

"What should we do, then?" Sulpicia inquired.

Carlisle sighed. "Well, we could try to Change her. However, considering the state she is in there is no guarantee that the venom will be able to heal her body. Often those who are severely injured pass away in the middle of the changing process because their hearts can no longer take it. In these cases the Change only causes extreme and unnecessary pain, as the venom only postpones the decaying of the organs."

It was quiet for a moment.

"Isabella?" Carlisle called out.

With great effort she lifted her eyelids. As she met Carlisle's gaze she tried to understand what he was saying, but she could not figure it out. He repeated his words, this time slower.

"What do you want? Do you want us to try and Change you?"

After a few seconds the words finally got through to her murky brain. She frowned, trying to decipher their meaning. Did she want to be Changed? She had never _actually_ thought about it. Of course, the idea had passed her mind, as she lived in a castle filled with vampires, but she had always brushed it off as something which she would think about later. Her lifespan as a _fenice_ was already nearly five times that of a human, after all.

However, from what she had gathered she was not as invincible as they had originally thought. She knew if she died, whether it would be right now or within a few days, her sisters would be waiting for her. The only hesitation she had was the pain that would come with the Change.

Isabella's mind cleared slightly as she trailed her eyes around the group of vampires which surrounded her. When she spotted the clear pain in their gazes, she realised how much grief her death would bring them.

It only took her a few more seconds to make her decision.

Isabella took a deep breath and searched for Carlisle's eyes.

"I want to be Changed."

As she closed her eyes again, feeling too exhausted to keep them open, the commotion started.

"She is in no condition to decide!" Athenodora said, sounding pained. "She is nearly unconscious, and we have no idea whether or not she even grasped the meaning of everything we talked about."

"She understood everything," Edward said from his place behind Carlisle. "Her mind cleared up for a moment after she had received the question."

"And how would you know?" Aro asked suspiciously.

"All her defences are down," Edward answered. "Which includes her shield. If you would touch her now, your gift would probably work too."

Aro hesitated for a moment before he shook his head. "I would never violate her privacy or trust like that. If you'd allow me?"

Although he found that statement quite ironic, coming from Aro, Edward immediately offered the king his hand. He nervously glanced at Isabella as he noticed her heart rate was now steadily declining.

"I see," Aro sighed. "We'll have to act quick."

"Alright. Who will be changing her?" Carlisle asked, keeping an eye on the girl.

"I will," Jasper stated, leaving no room for discussion.

Everyone turned towards him at once. Both Aro and Caius scrutinized him but were impressed by the determination in the vampire's eyes. They suddenly understood what was going on, although they were not shocked by the revelation.

Caius briefly touched his hand to Aro's arm, who nodded in response to the silent thoughts.

"You have our blessing," Caius stated, surprising the bystanders. "But act quick, it does not seem like she will hold on for much longer."

Jasper turned back to face Isabella. He leaned down, carefully brushing her hair away from her neck.

"I will see you on the other side," he whispered before baring his fangs and slicing into the girl's throat.

* * *

 _A/N: First of all, happy new year to you all! I believe this might just be the longest chapter I have written for this story, in the shortest amount of time. And it is also one of the very last... I plan to write one last chapter, but then this book will be all finished._

 _I realized I had never given the ancient vampire a name/never mentioned it - which isn't really smart, but alright. I am way too lazy to go back to the chapters he appeared in, and as such I decided to simply leave it at this. Maybe I'll go back later and change it when I edit some of my earlier work._

 _Thank you all so much for you reviews, I really appreciate them and they totally make my day :) Please leave another one to let me know your thoughts on this chapter. If you have any questions or if you did not understand something, tell me so I can clear up any confusion!_

 _\- Laura_


	30. Chapter 30 - Change

_Jasper turned back to face Isabella. He leaned down, carefully brushing her hair away from her neck._

 _"I will see you on the other side," he whispered before baring his fangs and slicing into the girl's throat._

* * *

 **Chapter 30 - Change**

Jasper gathered Isabella's limp body into his arms and stood up. The crowd silently parted; moving aside for him as he carried her away from the spot she had fallen in.

Aro turned to Carlisle, his eyes still glued to his niece's form. "Take them to the helicopter. Demetri will bring you to the nearest airport, where you can depart to Volterra by airplane."

"Won't you be joining us?" Carlisle inquired.

Aro let out a deep breath as he shook his head. "We still have a battlefield to clear up."

Carlisle nodded in understanding, before his eyes sought out his mate's. They conversed for a second, but quickly decided it was best if she would come with. Demetri, who had been updated on his master's plan, led them out of the clearing once they had said their goodbyes to the others.

When that all was taken care of, the adrenaline coursing through everyone slowly started to wear off and the gravity of the reality sunk in. Because while they had killed many of their enemies, the battle had also cost the lives of numerous of their own.

At the command of Aro and Caius, the vampires reluctantly split up, each being assigned a part of the field to go through. Their movements were slow as they started to gather the torn up limbs which were scattered all over. The air was heavy with uncertainty and angst; there was no saying as to what they would find.

Cries of outrage and grief were heard not much later, as the vampires found one of their own, torn to pieces, lying between the bodies of the enemy. The venom had long left their systems, and hope for recovery was futile. All the undead could do was burn the remains of their fallen, putting them to rest forevermore.

Aro watched from a distance as the shape-shifters withdrew themselves when they had recovered the bodies of their brothers and sisters. Together the packs mourned the losses they felt so deeply while they waited for the sign that they could return to their families. Back on their home land they would give their pack-mates the burials they deserved.

The Volturi guard processed their losses in silence, working methodically through the field. They had long ago learned to shut their emotions off in situations which asked for diplomacy.

That was, until Renata screamed out.

All eyes shot to her slender figure at the edge of the clearing and within seconds the Volturi guard gathered around her. Renata's hands had flown up to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. Both Aro and Caius were astonished by her outburst and made their way over. However, all words they had wanted to say left them when they looked down to see a familiar body lying at their guard's feet.

Marcus was dead.

-oOo-

A fierce pain shot through Isabella's neck, forcing all air out of her lungs. Her temperature spiked as flames flowed into her veins, burner hotter and hotter until she was sure that she had been thrown onto a flaming pyre which was burning her to ashes. She did not dare to open her eyes, in fear of seeing her limbs blackening with the burns. Instead, she tried focussing on the noises in her surroundings, but it soon became apparent it was impossible to think of anything but the all-consuming fire.

The black void in the back of her mind she had come from suddenly seemed very welcoming. Isabella felt herself drifting off, but was pulled back when a familiar voice cut through the pain-induced haze.

"Please wake up," the voice mumbled over and over as an icy cold rag pressed against her forehead.

The ice brought some temporary relief of the flames, and the darkness was pushed away when Isabella pried her eyes open. Her gaze flickered to her side and she was met by a worried sister.

"You cannot give in," Aemilia pleaded, hands busy placing bags of ice against her arms and legs. "You _have_ to fight against the fire if you want to survive."

"What-" Isabella managed to croak out before the pain took her voice away.

"Do not try to talk," Aemilia hushed. "It will only make it worse. Didy is preparing a cold bath for you, which should help at least slightly. Please, _please_ , hang on for a little longer."

Isabella whimpered as another wave of pain rushed through her veins. With every minute the fire burned stronger, getting impossibly hotter.

"You were very brave, you know," Aemilia talked on, trying to distract her sister from the agony. "You chose right when you decided to bring us forward. We will miss you, of course, when you are one of them, but at least we will know you are safe and loved."

Didyme entered the room, smiling softly when Isabella looked at her. "The bath is ready."

The sound of her voice, though soft, hurt Isabella's head. Even the soft breeze blowing through the open window was becoming more of a pain than a relief.

Aemilia nodded and sighed, before turning towards Isabella. "I know it will be very uncomfortable to move right now, we need to get you out of these clothes."

Isabella had no idea what she was talking about until Aemilia's warm hands were on her body, taking off her bloody shirt. As soon as her sister's flesh came in contact with hers, she groaned and tried to move her limbs away from the bruising pain.

Luckily Aemilia finished the task quickly and Didyme picked their youngest sister up, moving her to the bathroom. This time Isabella was prepared and she gritted her teeth until she was lowered into the tub.

Once she lay in the ice, the fire in her veins sparked once again, this time taking the temporary sanity with it. She closed her eyes, unable to utter a word, but feeling reassured with the knowledge she would be taken care of.

What followed were hours upon hours of pure agony. Both Didyme and Aemilia took turns in hauling bags of ice from the freezer to throw in the tub. The internal fire did not actually burn Isabella's skin, but the heat radiated from her in waves, melting the ice within minutes.

When the cold finally managed to calm her temperature for a while, Isabella's head cleared up slightly and she was able to open her mouth without screaming.

"This is worse than anything I'd imagined," she croaked out. "No one told me it would be like this. Why am I even here?"

"No one, except for us, knew your Change would be different," Aemilia softly spoke as she perched herself on the edge of the tub.

Didyme appeared next to her. "Jasper's venom now courses through your body like a fire. However, you, little one, are quite literally a _fire bird_ , a phoenix, and your heritage is fighting against the poison which has entered your system."

"The question is which one will win," Aemilia added.

"It sucks," Isabella groaned, as the fire in her veins raged up once more, raising her temperature.

"I know it does," Didyme whispered, before disappearing out of the room to get more ice.

The next several hours creeped by even slower than the ones before. The pain was all-consuming and it was impossible to focus on anything else. It took everything Isabella had not to give herself over to the darkness and her sisters had to shake her awake several times as she was about to slip into unconsciousness.

If she was to lose focus for even a second, it could be fatal.

Now the flames licked at her fingers, which twitched at the change in sensation. Although the fire had ignited in her neck, it had slowly but steadily been spreading throughout her body. Isabella let out a groan when the flames reached her toes as well. With horror she came to the realisation that the time she had spent in agony, was not even half of what was still to come.

She was right, as usual.

Just seconds after her realisation, the fire turned up a notch. Keeping her screams contained was no longer an option, no matter how much she tried to clench her teeth. Once she had started, there was no way to stop anymore.

Isabella screamed and screamed, until her voice was rough and nothing more than a pitiful sound left her mouth. Her throat was raw, but the discomfort of that was nothing compared to the lava in her veins. Even the blissful darkness, which had been near until then, had disappeared, offering her no choice but to continue.

It was that moment she started begging for death. To whom she was talking, or where she was, she no longer knew. All she did know was that the only escape from the pain was to die, and she wanted it desperately.

However, her pleas remained unanswered, leaving her on her own to fight against the fire. With every second that passed the flames blazed up. She understood now, from the comforting murmurs, that her sisters must be talking to her, but she was unable to concentrate on their voices.

All she knew was fire.

After spending hours upon hours in pain, it took her a while to realise when the fire was slowly retreating. She was able to cease her screams and at last heard what the voices were telling her.

"Bella," Didyme sighed. "I'm sorry to see you in so much pain, but you are so brave, little one."

Her sisters talked on and on as the fire retreated further, but they fell silent when Isabella finally pried her eyes open. The girl looked up at Didyme, who was at her side, before flickering her gaze around the room. She was about to close her eyes again when her mind registered the doorway was not empty. Isabella's heart skipped a beat as her eyes shot to the door, only to be met with a very familiar face.

Isabella's eyes widened in shock and she opened her mouth. "How-"

"Do not try to speak," Marcus hurriedly said, stepping into the room. "It will not help."

He made his way over to her side and knelt down as his hand came forward to brush a strand of hair away from her forehead.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Your actions have brought me more than I could have ever wished for. I am so grateful for all you have given me. Now you have to hold on and fight for a little longer. You are needed with the others; your time has not come yet. Fight, little one."

And fight she did.

As the fire retreated from her limbs, it gathered and made its way to the centre of her system. Isabella could feel her heart pumping faster and faster, pushing her body to its limits and over them until the beat was nothing more than a consistent hum.

She registered the kisses on her forehead right before the pain in her heart exploded. She was falling now, her chest arching up in pain. All air was pushed from her lungs, choking her as her heart reached its inferno.

And it stopped.

Her body went limp as gravity pulled her back down. The pain, which had been killing her just seconds ago, vanished into nothing. It did not take her long to realise that killing was exactly what the pain had done. She was one of the undead now.

Isabella lay still as she explored the unfamiliar sensations this new life brought with it. Her fingertips twitched and her hands clamped down into soft satin, her ears adjusting to all the sounds she could hear. The consistent ticking of the clock in the room. Shouting voices on the plaza. The rumbling of the cars on the highway outside of the city. She faintly recognised all of them, but her memories were too fuzzy to be able to decipher where she knew them from.

Taking a deep breath in, she opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed was that she was not the only one in the room. Before she had even consciously made the decision, she was up from the bed and crouched in the corner. A deep growl sounded, but stopped just as quickly when Isabella realised she had been the one to emit that sound. The heightened senses were confusing and she was astonished by the speed at which her brain worked to process the new experiences.

"Bella?"

Isabella's head shot up, eyes wide as she took in the man at the other side of the room. Though his voice could not have been much louder than a whisper, the sound was stronger than she remembered.

She took in the non-threatening stance the man held; hands up, palms facing her and his eyes cast to the ground. He seemed somewhat familiar, but she did not think on it for too long; she was too busy taking in every little detail of him. The sharp image she was looking at was nothing compared to the vague pictures of people she could remember.

The man called her name once more and Isabella realised with a start that he was addressing her. The name he called, was hers. Slowly the fuzzy memories started to unwind and when she looked at the man, a name ghosted through her mind.

"Jasper?" she asked hesitantly. Her eyes widened as soon as the words had left her mouth. She did not recognise the voice that had sounded, though there was no question as to whose it was.

Jasper nodded, looking up, but remaining his stance otherwise. "How do you feel? What do you remember?"

"I feel… confused," Isabella slowly answered. "I am so different, yet the same."

"That is understandable," Jasper told her. "It will take a while for you to adapt to this new form."

Isabella grimaced and straightened up from her crouch as she examined her smooth hands. Next she looked down at her body, scanning over the subtle changes she had gone through. Someone must have cleaned her up at some point as there was no evidence of the battle on her skin. A blue summer dress now reached down to her knees, her feet left bare on the wooden floor of the bedroom.

Glancing up at Jasper, she saw he was still watching her, though the uncertainty from before had left his eyes. It had been replaced with adoration and a shimmer of lust. However, when she took a breath to speak up, she noticed the uncomfortable burn flare up and she put her hand to her throat.

Of course Jasper saw, and he held out his hand for Isabella take. "Let's take care of that thirst first, shall we?"

Isabella nodded, grasping his hand carefully before he led her out of the room.

-oOo-

Being a newborn vampire was more difficult than she had imagined.

Next to the nearly insatiable thirst, Isabella was in a constant state of restlessness and she felt like all of her control had disappeared with her Change. No matter how hard she tried to reign in her strength and speed, it never was enough. Every time she broke another piece of furniture, or punched through another wall, it felt like a failure, even though the others told her it was completely normal.

She despised not being in control.

Jasper was an absolute saint. Although he denied all her praise, Isabella was sure she would have never made it this far without him. During her first few weeks, he was constantly around, and even when she was ready for others to be reintroduced into her life, he stayed nearby.

The thirst was always present, and the smell of blood still made her lose her mind. Isabella quickly learned to celebrate the smaller victories, and she gradually started to accept that learning how to cope with these new abilities would take months, if not years. With that acceptance also came a newfound determination, and she now thrived in the small progresses she made.

Over the course of several weeks, more than a month after her 'rebirth', the members of the Volturi and several others came back into her life. That was, the ones who were already mated. After a meeting with Irina ended up with a shocked Jasper and a very embarrassed Isabella, they collectively decided it was better if the unmated kept their distance for a little longer.

Isabella had never known vampires were such territorial creatures.

The kings and their wives were overjoyed to be able to welcome their niece back. The sudden need to Change her, and the uncertainty as to whether she would survive, had scared them all. They were very happy to be able to spend time with her again. However, as they talked with her, the fact that they had yet to tell her about Marcus's passing weighed down on them. In the end Aro and Caius sat Isabella down and they explained to her what had happened after she had lost consciousness on the day of the battle.

When she did not respond, they took her silence as sadness and shock. Thus they were surprised when instead of the proverbial tears, a smile crossed her face. This time it was Isabella's turn to explain what she had experienced during her Change. With a few questions from her uncles, she slowly unravelled the dreams of her human life and pieced the entire story back together.

The conversation, which had started off sad, ended on a positive note as they talked about the memories they had created together. Of course Marcus's absence was still felt, as it would always be, but Aro and Caius were able to move on, now that they knew their brother was happy and back with his mate.

And so it came that, nearly a year after her Change, Isabella found herself in the courtyard of the castle. A warm breeze had blown through her hair as soon as she had stepped out of the doors. It was completely silent, and she welcomed the calm after spending quite a bit of time with her family. Though she loved them, it was always chaotic and she was in need of some time to order her thoughts.

The courtyard had always been Marcus's sanctuary when he had still been amongst them. It was here Isabella most felt his presence and she had made it a habit to visit quite often, sometimes simply for the peace, but other times bringing gifts. Today she held a bouquet of gladioli Jasper had gotten her from the city's florist, as she leisurely made her way over to the centre of the yard.

Right there, in the middle, stood a marble statue, glowing in the sunlight. It portrayed an angel - her wings spread out wide as if she would fly away. At the base of the statue the name 'Didyme' was engraved, and a few inches below 'Marcus' had been added.

Isabella smiled as she stopped in front of the statue. To her it symbolised so much more than a simple memory. It reminded her of the sisterhood she belonged to, the line of powerful women she stemmed from. But above all it illustrated what she had been before the Change; and made her remember that she was the last of the _fenice_ , phoenix, as she was immortal now.

Isabella reached out, letting her fingers dance along the engravings before whispering a soft "thank you."

Her hand returned to her side when she took a step back and knelt down on the ground. The colourful bouquet replaced the withered flowers she had brought a while ago, and she sat in silence for a minute, lost in thoughts and memories.

A familiar hand on her shoulder brought her back to reality. Isabella did not need to look up to know who it was, and she smiled, placing her hand on top of his.

"Hi."

Jasper took her hand, pulling her up and around to face him. "Are you alright?"

She turned back to the statue, looking down at the flowers. Jasper mirrored her movements, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her into his side. Isabella sighed, letting her head fall to his shoulder.

"I think so, yes."

 **The End**

* * *

 _A/N: Here it finally is: the last chapter of The Girl :) I never thought I would make it this far and it feels awesome to finally complete this story. It took me a few tries to get the last chapter right, and my time was severely limited due to a few issues in Real Life, but I am happy with how it turned out in the end. I hope you enjoyed it and a big thanks to all of you who have read, reviewed and followed this story!_

 _\- Laura_

 _P.S: I have started writing a story called **Touching Souls** (it's very different from this one; supernatural, romance-y A/B) and hope to upload another (all human, E/B) story somewhere within the next few months. If you are interested, take a look at my profile page:)_


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